President Bola Tinubu is meeting with the founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Dr Akintunde Sawyerr, at the State House, Abuja.

Our correspondent observed Ovia, dressed in a black suit and red tie, arriving at the State House in the company of Sawyerr at about 5:15 pm on Tuesday.

The nature of the visit was not immediately disclosed at the time of this report.

Ovia has chaired the NELFUND Board since his appointment by Tinubu on April 26, 2024, barely three weeks after the President signed the Access to Higher Education Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Act into law, establishing the interest-free student loan scheme.

Sawyerr was appointed pioneer MD and CEO of the fund on April 5, 2024, and has remained at its helm since.

NELFUND said it has disbursed over N303bn to more than 1.64 million students across over 300 higher institutions nationwide.

Ovia, who retired as Founder and Group Chairman of Zenith Bank in May, has remained active in education philanthropy as founder and chancellor of James Hope University in Lekki, Lagos, and through the Jim Ovia Foundation.