The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and Seplat Energy Joint Venture are set to train 500 teachers across Edo State under the 2026 edition of the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).
This was disclosed on Thursday in Benin City during the STEP onboarding workshop, by Chioma Afe, Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc.
Afe, who was represented by Esther Icha, General Manager, Corporate Social Investment and Social Performance, said the initiative reflects the company’s continued commitment to strengthening quality education in the state.
According to a statement by Seplat Energy, the 2026 programme marks a major expansion of STEP, which has trained over 2,000 teachers and education evaluators across Edo, Delta and Imo States in the past six years.
Afe explained that Seplat JV continues to invest heavily in the programme because education remains central to the company’s contribution to nation-building.
“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.
She noted that ongoing changes in education, including evolving curricula, technology and teaching approaches, make it necessary for teachers to continuously update their skills.
“Education is changing daily,” she said. “This programme is to equip you with what you need to meet the changing trends,” she added.
Afe said STEP is designed to strengthen teachers both in the classroom and in their personal and professional growth, giving them access to facilitators, learning resources and platforms that expose them to current developments in teaching.
She commended NEPL for consistently backing the initiative and appreciated the Edo State Government for facilitating the participation of schools and teachers in the programme.
Speaking at the event, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Washington Osa Osifo, commended Seplat Energy for its sustained contribution to education in the state.
“I am glad, and I thank you so much for not abandoning Edo State,” he said.
Osifo described Seplat as a “partner in progress,” noting that the company’s long-term collaboration with government had helped address key challenges in the education sector.
He stressed that while infrastructure investment had made schools more attractive, quality content and effective teaching remain equally important.
“Whereas the form is good, content is always better,” he said.
Osifo urged the teachers benefiting from the programme to ensure that their training translates into real improvements in the classroom.
“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 also encouraged teachers to remain committed to the state curriculum, avoid shortcuts and help students build confidence in themselves.
In her remarks, Emo Udobong-Ntia, Vice President, HR Operations at Seplat Energy Plc, urged participants to build a culture of influence, leadership and mentorship to positively impact their students.
She presented a paper titled “The Case for Teacher Leadership,” which addressed why teacher leadership matters now more than ever.
The 2026 STEP programme continues Seplat Energy Joint Venture’s long-standing investment in teacher capacity development across its host communities and operating states.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
