President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with the founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Dr Akintunde Sawyerr, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Ovia and Sawyerr were seen arriving at the State House at about 5:15 p.m., although the purpose of the meeting had not been officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report.
Dressed in a black suit and red tie, Ovia arrived alongside Sawyerr, who has headed NELFUND since his appointment in April 2024.
Tinubu appointed Ovia as chairman of the NELFUND board on April 26, 2024, shortly after signing the Access to Higher Education Act into law, paving the way for the establishment of the interest-free student loan scheme.
Sawyerr was appointed the pioneer managing director and chief executive officer of the fund on April 5, 2024.
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According to NELFUND, more than ₦303 billion has so far been disbursed to over 1.64 million students across more than 300 tertiary institutions nationwide.
Aside from his role in the banking sector, Ovia has remained actively involved in educational development through the Jim Ovia Foundation and as the founder and chancellor of James Hope University in Lagos.
The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to expand access to higher education and strengthen support for students through the loan scheme.