BREAKING: Tinubu Holds Talks with Jim Ovia and NELFUND CEO Sawyerr

President Bola Tinubu is currently hosting a meeting with Jim Ovia, the founder of Zenith Bank, and Dr Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, at the State House in Abuja.

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The meeting commenced with Ovia and Sawyerr arriving at the State House at approximately 5:15 pm on Tuesday, with Ovia notably dressed in a black suit and red tie.

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The purpose of the visit remains unclear as of the time of reporting, with no immediate disclosure regarding the nature of their discussion.

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Notably, Ovia has been chairing the NELFUND Board since his appointment by President Tinubu on April 26, 2024, an appointment that came just three weeks after the President signed the Access to Higher Education Act into law.

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This law established an interest-free student loan scheme, and since his appointment, Sawyerr has been serving as the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the fund, a role he was appointed to on April 5, 2024.

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Under their leadership, NELFUND has disbursed over N303 billion to more than 1.64 million students across over 300 higher institutions nationwide.

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Ovia, who recently retired as the Founder and Group Chairman of Zenith Bank in May, continues to be involved in education philanthropy through his roles as the founder and chancellor of James Hope University in Lekki, Lagos, and as the founder of the Jim Ovia Foundation.