Prof. Benedict Oramah holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics obtained in 1991 and has been decorated as a Professor of International Trade and Finance by Adeleke University, one of Nigeria’s foremost private universities in 2018. Prof. Oramah worked as the Assistant Manager, Research, for the Nigerian Export-Import Bank from 1992 to 1994 before joining the African Export-Import Bank as Chief Analyst in 1994, rising to the position of Senior Director, Planning and Business Development Department, in 2007.

He was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President of the Bank in October 2008, a position he held until his appointment as President in June 2015 during the 22nd Annual General meeting in Lusaka, Zambia and he was inaugurated in September 2015. Prof. Oramah has written over 30 articles on a range of African economic and trade related matters, many of which have been published in leading international journals.

Prof. Benedict Oramah has received numerous awards for his leadership. In 2023, he was named Africa's "Person of the Year" by Forbes and awarded the Officer of the Congolese Order of Merit. In 2022, he received the Commander of the Order of the Niger and the Financial Leadership Award from the Africa Prosperity Network. His 2019 honors included the Russian Federation's Order of Friendship and the Knight of the National Order from Cameroon.

Oramah has been recognized as "Business Leader of the Year" at CNBC Africa's awards and multiple times as "African Banker of the Year." He has also been listed among the 100 most influential Africans by New African Magazine and Jeune Afrique, and holds honorary doctorates from Obafemi Awolowo University and Nnamdi Azikiwe University.