Student Loan: Tinubu appoints Zenith Bank founder, Jim Ovia as board chairman

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Zenith Bank founder and businessman, Jim Ovia, as the chairman, board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President, Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.

“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”

The National Student Loan Programme seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.

“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.

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Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.