NEPL-Seplat Joint Venture Graduates 623 Teachers In 2026 STEP Programme

The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited and Seplat Energy Joint Venture has graduated 623 teachers and education inspectors under the 2026 Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme, in a move aimed at improving classroom outcomes in Edo and Delta states.

The graduation ceremony took place at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, where participants were recognised after completing training designed to strengthen modern teaching practice, classroom management and learner engagement.

Speaking at the event, Chioma Afe, Seplat Energy’s Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, told beneficiaries to apply their new skills with confidence in their schools and communities. She said the programme is intended to equip educators not just with theory, but with practical methods that can improve how pupils learn.

Afe said the joint venture sees education as a key investment area for long-term social progress. She added that stronger teaching capacity at primary and secondary levels can shape better learning foundations, improve retention and support broader development goals in host communities.

Programme stakeholders said the initiative aligns with the partners’ wider social investment commitments, particularly in sectors that influence future workforce readiness. By focusing on teacher quality, organisers said STEP seeks to create a multiplier effect, where improved instructional methods benefit large numbers of students over time.

Participants were drawn from public education systems in Edo and Delta, including classroom teachers and inspectors responsible for supervision and quality assurance. Organisers said this mix is important because it combines frontline delivery with oversight, making it easier to sustain standards after training.

The organisers also noted that many schools still face pressure from overcrowded classrooms, uneven resources and changing curriculum demands. They said targeted capacity-building helps teachers adapt and maintain learning quality under these conditions.

At the close of the ceremony, beneficiaries were encouraged to share acquired techniques with colleagues and support peer mentoring in their local school networks. The programme team said ongoing collaboration among educators will be important in translating training content into measurable classroom impact.

With 623 graduates in the 2026 cohort, the NEPL-Seplat initiative adds to private-sector-backed education interventions in Nigeria that aim to improve public learning outcomes through sustained teacher development and institutional support.