The President of the African Export-Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, has been named a FORBES AFRICA magazine 2023 Person.
The Times reported that this happened during an award ceremony in Cairo, Egypt, according to a statement. At the award ceremony, Prof. Oramah was revealed as the cover personality for FORBES AFRICA’s December 2023/January 2024 edition.
The Managing Director, Roberta Naicker, and the Founder and Publisher of FORBES AFRICA, Dr. Rakesh Wahi, emphasised that the award honours the accomplishments of exceptional Africans committed to the advancement of the continent.
Prof. Benedict Oramah is a true pan-Africanist, according to the Managing Editor of FORBES AFRICA, Renuka Methil, who highlighted his three-decade tenure at Afreximbank.
Methil highlighted in an interview that Prof. Oramah has a remarkable record, is passionate and boundlessly enthusiastic, and has made a significant contribution to the economic development of Africa.
Methil went into further detail about Oramah’s visionary leadership, pointing out that one of the most significant cross-border payment initiatives in local African currencies was the introduction of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System.
She praised his boldness in taking risks and his well-articulated plan for a united Africa.
The editorial and research teams of the magazine, which includes journalists from several African bureaus, submit nominations for the Forbes Africa Person of the Year.
Following a thorough evaluation of notable contributors from throughout Africa, Prof. Oramah was declared the unanimous winner for 2023.
Prof. Benedict Oramah joins a distinguished list of previous recipients of this honour that includes Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Dr. James Mwangi, CEO of Equity Group; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank; Aliko Dangote, CEO of Dangote Group; Mohammed Dewji, President of MeTL Group; and Thuli Madonsela, former Public Protector of South Africa.
President Oramah received two honours in November: the Zik Prize in Professional Leadership and the Forbes Africa Person of the Year award.
Afreximbank has been leading notable projects under his direction. For instance, the bank and United Bank for Africa recently inked a $150 million trade finance facility agreement as part of the Ukraine Crisis Adjustment Trade Financing Program for Africa.
