8B Education Investments and Nelnet Bank Partner to Launch a Revolutionary Loan Program for African Students Attending US Universities

DRAPER, UT., September 18, 2023 - 8B Education Investments, the first company focused exclusively on supporting African students studying at US universities with access to education finance, has partnered with Nelnet Bank to launch a revolutionary loan program aimed at providing fair and affordable loans to African students pursuing their academic dreams in the United States.

The new loan program, which is the first of its kind, addresses the financing gaps faced by African students who qualify and receive admissions to higher education in the US through fair and affordable loans. Given that students from Africa are underrepresented on college campuses, the program, which will offer loans to students at over 400 US universities, will help level the playing field and significantly increase the diversity of international students on US university campuses.

Speaking about the new loan program, Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, CEO of 8B Education Investments, said, "For generations, financing has been an insurmountable barrier facing brilliant African students who are admitted to US universities and colleges. We are thrilled to be the first company exclusively focused on democratizing access to world-class education for African students. Our partnership with Nelnet Bank will accelerate our efforts to build bridges to the world's youngest, fastest-growing, and most underserved pool of talent."

Nelnet Bank, which has committed $30 million to originate loans in support of 8B's lending program, is one of many like-minded strategic partners brought together by 8B Education Investments at the 2022 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative under the commitment to Accelerate African Access to Global Innovation Ecosystems.

According to Andrea Moss, CEO/President at Nelnet Bank, "We are proud to partner with 8B Education Investments to help African students overcome financing challenges and pursue their academic dreams in the US. At Nelnet Bank, we believe in investing in education and in the power of diversity to transform the world. We are excited to be part of this groundbreaking initiative and look forward to supporting more students in the years to come."