Nigeria’s education system requires more structured private-sector interventions that address the full learning value chain rather than isolated acts of corporate philanthropy, with the education model of the NNPC/Seplat Energy Joint Venture emerging as an example of a system-wide approach.

The intervention comes against the backdrop of an education sector facing significant challenges, including an estimated 10.5 million primary school-age children who are out of school and only about one in four children aged between seven and 14 able to read a simple sentence or demonstrate basic numeracy.

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The NNPC/Seplat Energy Joint Venture’s education programme combines teacher development, student competitions, school infrastructure support, scholarships and entrepreneurship training, reflecting an approach that seeks to strengthen multiple aspects of the education ecosystem simultaneously.

According to figures released by the company, 34 per cent of its 780 undergraduate scholarships have been awarded to students from host communities.

Its PEARLs Quiz competition, currently open to secondary schools in Delta, Edo and Imo states, has reached 61,035 teachers and students since its inception in 2012, with plans to expand to additional states.

The initiative has also provided ₦101 million in prize funding for school development projects, including libraries, classroom blocks and school buses.

In addition, the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP) has trained 1,334 educators, comprising 1,232 secondary school teachers and 102 officials from state Ministries of Education.

The company said its education model is designed to improve teacher quality through structured capacity-building, motivate students through academic competitions, strengthen school infrastructure, expand access to tertiary education through scholarships and equip beneficiaries with entrepreneurship skills.

The approach recognises that meaningful improvements in education require coordinated interventions across teachers, students, learning environments and employment pathways rather than isolated initiatives.

The scholarship programme also seeks to balance nationwide access with support for host communities located near the company’s operations.

The intervention highlights the growing recognition that education is critical to building the skilled workforce required across key sectors of the economy, including energy, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing and the digital economy.

It also underscores the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to improve learning outcomes by combining public policy with corporate funding and implementation capacity.

The company noted that effective education interventions should focus on strengthening teaching quality, improving school infrastructure, expanding access to education and creating pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.

Through its integrated education programmes, the NNPC/Seplat Energy Joint Venture said it aims to contribute to long-term human capital development by linking teacher training, student achievement, improved learning facilities and economic opportunities within a single framework.