Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia, Chairman Zenith Bank As Head Of The Education Loan Fund Board

Jim Ovia

Jim Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, is appointed by Tinubu to lead the Education Loan Fund Board.

Jim Ovia, the creator of Zenith Bank, has been named by President Bola Tinubu as the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, or NELFUND.

“Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria's leading banks and a respected business leader, with an abundance of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians,” a statement from the president's spokeswoman, Ajuri Ngelale, reads.

“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 Program is a crucial initiative aimed at providing Nigerian students and young people with functional skill development and sustainable higher education.

The organization responsible for putting this innovation into practice, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, expects quality and the most qualified Nigerians to lead and oversee.

President Tinubu noted in the statement that he 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 and of ensuring 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.”