Prof. Benedict O. Oramah is the President and Chairman the Board of Directors of African Export Import Bank (“Afreximbank or the Bank”). As the President of Afreximbank, Prof. Oramah has grown the Bank significantly and improved its global appeal and relevance.

The Bank is playing a key role in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement which is the most significant trade and development initiative in Africa for decades. In support of the AfCFTA, Afreximbank, under the leadership of Prof. Oramah championed the creation of very innovative digital platforms that will boost intra-regional trade and investments by revolutionizing cross border payments and improving access to quality trade information. These include the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (the “PAPSS”), a Trade Information Platform and MANSA, which is a repository platform that provides a single source of primary data required for the conduct of customer due diligence on African entities.

Prof. Oramah is one of the four Principals of the African Union’s Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) and under his leadership, Afreximbank played a pivotal role that made it possible for the continent to procure 400 million doses of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, by providing a US$ 2 billion Advanced Procurement Commitment (APC) guarantee to the vaccine manufacturer, on behalf of African countries.

As a recognition for his achievements, Prof. Oramah has received several honors and awards including being listed in the 100 most influential Africans by New African Magazine in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He was also listed by Jeune Afrique among the top 100 Influential Africans. In 2017 Prof. Oramah was voted African Banker of the year by the African Banker magazine. He also received the New York University Africa Leadership Award in 2018.

He sits on the Boards of many organisations and also chairs the Boards of the Funds for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). Prof. Oramah has written over 50 articles and papers, authored books, and contributed chapters in several books.

His Excellency, Kalilou Traoré was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the Council of Ministers held on December 18, 2019 in Yamoussouktro.

He effectively took office on February 13, 2020 in Abuja.
Before this function, Mr Kalilou TRAORE was the Commissioner of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in charge of Industry and Private Sector.
In this capacity, he developed and launched ECOWAS’s 2015-2020 industrial development strategy as well as the development strategy for the Private Sector and SMEs .
From March 2018 to February 2020, he assumed the office of Director of Cabinet of the President of the ECOWAS Commission.
Previously, he held several missions in public administration, regional integration, international cooperation, industrial sector, municipal development :
Director of Cabinet of several ministerial offices in Ivory Coast between 2003 and 2014 (African integration, Tourism, Crafts,);
Technical Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2009 to 2010;
Chairman of the Audit Committee of ECOWAS Institutionsfor the period 2010-2013 ;
Chairman of the Board of the Regional Quality Agency (ECOWAQ), 2018-2019;
President of the National Commission of Côte d'Ivoire of Follow-upof the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EPA) from 2007 to2013;
Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Dry Port Project ofFerkessédougou(Côte d'Ivoire) from 2007to2013;
Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Program of Support to Trade and Regional Integration (PACIR)from 2010to 2014;
President of the ECOWAS / UEMOA Joint Committee for the elaboration of the Common External Tariff (CET) (2012 -2013) ;
President of the National Committee for the Approval of Products tothe ECOWAS Trade LiberalizationScheme (2007-2013);
Deputy Mayor of Adjame Commune, District of Abidjan (1996-2013)
Vice-presidentof the prospective think tank of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d'Ivoire (CGECI), 2009 - 2010;
Factory Engineer at Nestlé Côte d'Ivoire from 1982 to 2000, Head of theTraining Departmentand industrial organization;
Ambassador Kalilou TRAORE is a graduate of the Felix HOUPHOUET BOIGNY University of Abidjan with a master's degree in science and techniques obtained in 1981.