Tinubu Engages Zenith Founder Ovia, NELFUND CEO Sawyerr in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday held discussions with two key figures: Mr. Jim Ovia, the esteemed founder of Zenith Bank, and Dr. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). The high-profile meeting took place at the State House in Abuja.

Our correspondent noted the arrival of Mr. Ovia, impeccably dressed in a black suit paired with a red tie, alongside Dr. Sawyerr at approximately 5:15 pm yesterday. At the time of this report, the specific agenda or purpose of their visit to the President was not immediately disclosed to the public.

Mr. Ovia has been instrumental in NELFUND's structure, chairing its Board since his appointment by President Tinubu on April 26, 2024. This appointment came just under three weeks after the President assented to the Access to Higher Education Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Act, which officially established the interest-free student loan initiative. Dr. Sawyerr, on his part, assumed the role of pioneer MD and CEO of the fund on April 5, 2024, and has been leading its operations since then.

NELFUND has reported significant progress, indicating that it has disbursed over N303 billion to more than 1.64 million students across over 300 higher education institutions throughout the country.

Although Mr. Ovia concluded his tenure as Founder and Group Chairman of Zenith Bank in May, his commitment to education philanthropy remains strong. He is notably the founder and chancellor of James Hope University in Lekki, Lagos, and actively supports educational initiatives through the Jim Ovia Foundation. Further details regarding the meeting are anticipated.