President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday held separate meetings at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank and chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and Tanimu Kurfi, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation.
No official reasons were disclosed for either engagement. Ovia arrived at the State House at about 2:15 p.m., dressed in his customary black suit and red tie. The Budget Office chief was understood to be on a routine briefing and met the President behind closed doors.
Ovia has chaired the NELFUND board since his appointment by President Tinubu on April 26, 2024. The appointment came less than three weeks after the President signed the Access to Higher Education Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Act, which established the interest-free student loan scheme.
NELFUND provides voluntary, interest-free loans to eligible Nigerian tertiary and vocational students to cover approved educational costs. Applications are made online, and repayment begins after graduation and employment through a capped income deduction.
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