Prof. Benedict Oramah, the President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has been awarded the 2021/22 Zik Prize in Professional Leadership by the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC).
The Professor was recognized for his exceptional leadership in steering the African multilateral financial institution towards fulfilling its mandate of fostering economic expansion across the continent. The selection committee recognized his efforts in financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade while accelerating industrialization over the last three years.
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Prof. Pat Utomi, Head of the PPRAC Zik Prize Selection Committee, highlighted Oramah’s contributions stating “A key promoter of the AfCFTA as Africa’s pathway to industrialisation, he championed the introduction of a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System that was adopted by the African Union as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA,”
He further added “He has also led the onboarding of 500 of the continent’s 600 regulated commercial banks into its Afreximbank Trade Finance Facility, placing it in the vortex of the most extensive bank messaging network on the continent,”
Utomi commended the unprecedented scale of Afreximbank’s interventions during global crises, citing initiatives such as the Pandemic Trade Impact Mitigation Facility, which disbursed over USD 7 billion in 2020. Furthermore, in 2022, Oramah led the establishment of the Ukraine Crisis Adjustment Trade Financing Programme for Africa, a USD 4 billion credit facility aimed at managing the impacts of the Ukraine crisis on African economies and businesses.
In his acceptance speech, Prof. Oramah expressed his deep appreciation for the honor, emphasizing his commitment to the principles, philosophy, and values of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, in whose name the award is bestowed.
“Dr Azikiwe and his colleagues fought tirelessly, with courage, intellect, and determination for the independence and political emancipation of our continent,” said Prof. Oramah
Further stating “What they did was just the beginning of the journey. The true emancipation will occur when we attain economic independence. As a leader of one of the continent’s key institutions created to help deliver development, I’m mindful of the role that we play.”
The ceremony also saw other wins with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema receiving the Zik Prize in Political Leadership, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Nigeria, the Zik Prize in Good Governance, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman of SIFAX Group, the Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Hajiya Aisha Atiku Baguda, receive the Zik Prize in Humanitarian Leadership.
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The Zik Prize in Professional Leadership and other awards were instituted in 1995 to recognize and encourage outstanding leadership in Africa and the African Diaspora. The ceremony did not take place in 2022 as a mark of respect for the passing of two members of the Advisory Board, Prince Emeka Obasi and Prof. George Obiozor. Past recipients of the Leadership Awards include President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
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