Okechukwu Ihejirika currently serves as the Head, Caribbean Office of the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), the leading pan-African multilateral financial institution dedicated to fostering and financing intra- and extra-African trade.

Established in October 1993 by African governments, private investors, and institutional stakeholders, Afreximbank now includes the Caribbean region as its 6th region within the African Union Diaspora.

Before assuming his current role, Okechukwu led the Trade Services unit at Afreximbank for the past 7 years, bringing over 20 years of extensive trade finance experience to the institution.

Prior to joining Afreximbank in August 2015, he held senior positions in trade finance at various Nigerian banks, culminating in his role as Head of Trade Finance at Union Bank of Nigeria.

Okechukwu holds an MBA in International Business from the American Intercontinental University, complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and Insurance from Imo State University.

His professional certifications include a Certificate in International Trade and Finance from the Institute of Financial Services London, and he is recognized as a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist among other qualifications.

He actively contributes to industry standards and practices as a member of the ICC Taskforce on Guarantees and the digitization working group of the ICC.

Additionally, Okechukwu is a founding member of the African council of BAFT, where he serves as Chair of the Membership Committee for the African council and as a member of the global membership committee. His dedication and leadership within Afreximbank and the broader trade finance community underscore his commitment to advancing financial services across Africa and the Caribbean.

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