By Emmanuel Iheaka

The NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS)/Seplat Energy Joint Venture has rewarded schools and students in Imo State with grants and learning materials for excellence in intellect and innovation.

Presenting the grants and materials to some distinguished schools during its 2026 Pearls Quiz and Steam Competition Grand finale in Owerri, the organisers noted the event was part of a commitment to educational advancement and youth development.

The Director, External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc, Chioma Afe, said the programme came out of the realisation that education is the key need for the development of many communities.

She said, “The PEARLs Quiz is our flagship education quiz programme targeted at secondary schools in the various states where we operate. We discovered through years of research and needs assessment that one of the critical needs within our communities is education. This programme was designed to encourage discipline, rigour, academic excellence, sharpness, and improving the minds of students.”

She noted that the world today demands more than memorised answers, calling for young people to think critically, challenge assumptions and apply knowledge to real-life situations. “At Seplat Energy and our JV partner, NNPC Limited, we believe that education is one of the most powerful investments any organisation can make in the future of people. That is why our social investment approach is rooted in long-term impact,” she said.

She added that the initiative complements other educational interventions, including the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme and Science Innovators Programme, aimed at strengthening educational development within host communities.

The Acting Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NUIMS, Olanrewaju Igandan represented by Minanengiyeofori Loveday, Lead Community Relations, NUIMS, described the event as a testament to the commitment of both organisations to fostering education and intellectual growth among students in Imo State.

In his speech, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, represented by the Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Barr. Emeka Mgbudem, commended Seplat Energy JV and its partners for sustaining initiatives that positively impact education and youth development within the state, and pledged the continued support of the Imo State Government towards programmes that empower students and encourage innovation.

Mgbudem noted that he had visited the infectious disease hospital being constructed by the same joint venture, describing the facility as one of the largest of its kind in the South-East of Nigeria.

“You will not fully appreciate what this joint venture has done in Imo State until you visit that facility,” he said.

He noted that this was his third consecutive year attending the PEARLs Quiz, and commended the breadth of the joint venture’s contributions to Imo State, which he said extended beyond education to healthcare and community welfare through programmes such as the Eye Can See initiative.

Mountain Crest High School emerged overall winner of the quiz competition, receiving a project-based grant of N5,000,000 for school development and a trophy. The three students who represented the school received N100,000 each in scholarship grants, while their teacher went home with a laptop.

In second place was Owerri City Secondary School, which received a project-based grant of N3,000,000 and a trophy. The three students representing the school received N75,000 each as educational support grants, and their teacher also received a laptop. Eziachi Secondary School, Orlu, emerged third, receiving a project-based grant of N1,000,000, with each of the three representing students receiving N50,000 in educational support grants. Their teacher also received a laptop.