President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of renowned banker 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.

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“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 is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.

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

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“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.

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.”

President Bola Tinubu arrived in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital, on Friday to participate in the 2024 Special World Economic Forum on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development.

This begins the second leg of his two-nation tour following his engagements in The Hague, Netherlands, since Wednesday.
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Over 1,000 leaders from business, government, and academia from more than 90 countries are expected to attend the high-level forum in Riyadh, which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. ⁣⁣

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Talks would centre around actions taken since the inaugural Growth Summit held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2023. ⁣⁣
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“Tinubu and his entourage will use the opportunity of the gathering to discuss his renewed hope agenda for the country,” the President’s spokesperson, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, revealed in a statement he signed last Monday. ⁣⁣
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In Riyadh, the leaders are expected to address pressing global challenges across three main themes: revitalising global collaboration, fostering inclusive growth and catalysing action on energy for development.⁣⁣

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According to the SWEF concept note, the event serves as a platform to “bridge the growing North-South divide exacerbated by emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.”⁣⁣
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The two-day visit is Tinubu’s second in five months to the Gulf nation.⁣⁣
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Saudi Arabia has become his 19th foreign destination since assuming office 11 months ago.⁣⁣
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So far, he has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar and The Hague, The Netherlands.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Innocent Barikor as the Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency.

He also appointed Ebitimi Amgbare as the Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority.

The Presidency announced the appointments on Friday in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu appoints chief executive officers of two agencies.’

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Barikor is an academic, politician and former Rivers State House of Assembly member from 2011 to 2015.

He succeeds Prof. Aliyu Jauro, who former President Muhammadu Buhari first appointed in February 2019.

In February 2023, Buhari reappointed Jauro for another four-year tenure to elapse in 2027.

Meanwhile, Amgbare is a retired naval officer and former commissioner in Bayelsa State.

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He succeeds Dr. Adeniyi Aremu, whom Buhari first appointed in January 2017. Aremu was reappointed for another four-year tenure in January 2021.

The President said he expects the new heads of these important agencies to “discharge their duties with utmost fidelity to the nation and unfailing adherence to the highest standards of professionalism, accountability, and excellent service to the people of Nigeria.”