The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL)/Seplat Energy Joint Venture has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening quality education through sustained investment in teacher development, as it prepares to train 500 teachers across Edo State.
This was disclosed recently in Benin, Edo State, by Chioma Afe, Director of External Affairs & Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc, represented by Esther Icha, the General Manager, Corporate Social Investment & Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc, during the 2026 Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP) onboarding workshop.
The 2026 programme sees a significant expansion of STEP, which has, over the past six years, trained more than 2,000 teachers and education evaluators across Edo, Delta and Imo States. In this cohort, 500 teachers from Edo State will benefit from the knowledge-empowerment initiative.
Afe explained that the Seplat JV is investing heavily in the programme because education remains a critical part of Seplat Energy’s contribution to nation building, noting that teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of the country.
“Seplat is very committed to education. It’s critical to nation building, and everybody that is here has contributed in one way or the other to the life of one student or one child,” she said.
Afe explained that the continued changes in education, including evolving curricula, technology and teaching approaches, make it necessary for teachers to continuously update their skills and adapt to emerging trends.
“Education is changing daily,” she said. “This programme is to equip you with what you need to meet the changing trends,” she added.
She pointed out that STEP is designed to strengthen teachers both in the classroom and in their personal and professional development, by providing participants with access to facilitators, learning resources and platforms that expose them to developments in education and contemporary approaches to teaching.
Afe acknowledged the support of the JV Partner, NEPL, for consistently backing the initiative, and the Edo State Government for facilitating the participation of schools and teachers in the programme.
She encouraged the participants to make the most of the training and translate their learning into improved outcomes for their students.
Speaking at the event, Washington Osa Osifo, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, commended Seplat Energy for its sustained contribution to education in the state and its long-standing partnership with the government.
Recalling his previous experience working with Seplat during his earlier tenure in the Ministry of Education, Osifo expressed appreciation for the company’s continued commitment to Edo State.
“I am glad, and I thank you so much for not abandoning Edo State,” he said.
Describing Seplat as a “partner in progress”, Osifo said the company’s sustained engagement demonstrated the value of long-term collaboration between the government and the private sector in addressing challenges in the education sector.
Reflecting on the state’s previous education reforms, Osifo noted that investments in school infrastructure had helped make schools more attractive to students. However, he stressed that physical infrastructure alone could not deliver meaningful educational outcomes.
“Whereas the form is good, but content is always better,” he said, emphasising the need to complement infrastructure with effective administration, quality teaching and strong educational content.
Osifo recalled that during his earlier tenure, Edo State had sought to establish a stronger connection between investment in education and measurable results. He pointed to the improvements in the state’s performance in national examinations as clearly demonstrating the importance of effective management and teacher capacity-building that lead to quality content, which the JV helps with through the STEP initiative.
Addressing the teachers participating in the STEP programme, Osifo urged them to ensure that the training translates into tangible improvements in their classrooms.
“After this investment in training, you are supposed to go back and manifest it. And we will measure it with the results that will proceed from you,” he said.
He encouraged teachers to remain committed to the state curriculum, avoid shortcuts and focus on helping students develop confidence in themselves and their abilities. Osifo also emphasised the importance of character, conduct and moral responsibility in teaching, urging educators to recognise the responsibility they have to shape the next generation.
“See yourself and do to them (your students) what you would have loved a teacher to do to you,” he said.
He encouraged teachers to pass on positive values and experiences to their students and to approach their work with an understanding that the future of society is closely connected to the quality of education provided to young people today.
On her part, Emo Udobong-Ntia, Vice President HR Operations, Seplat Energy Plc, encouraged the participants to build a culture of influence, leadership and mentorship to help them bond with their students and impact on them positively.
Udobong-Ntia presented a paper on “The Case for Teacher Leadership”, in which she addressed ‘why teachers’ leadership matters now more than ever’.
The 2026 STEP programme builds on Seplat Energy Joint Venture’s sustained investment in teacher capacity development and its broader commitment to supporting education in the communities and states where it operates.