As it celebrates 30 years of incorporation, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) continues to support with action its faith in education being the backbone of every developing economy.
Unsurprisingly, the company said in 2018 that it had spent a total of N2.7 billion on interventions in education through scholarships since 1998.
With the Nigerian economy only recovering from a recession and many homes short of the naira, NLNG has taken up a responsibility to invest in the education of young people in the post primary, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
As part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), NLNG has three main levels of scholarship schemes to encourage academic excellence and support human capital development in Nigeria. They are post primary, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships.
There is also the NLNG Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Scholarship.
NLNG Post Primary Scholarship
The scheme aims at assisting high performing basic six pupils in NLNG’s host communities to access post primary education. The scheme kicked off in 2012 with 28 beneficiaries. Prospective pupils are admitted to the scheme based on advertised criteria. A selection test is then conducted to place the best top candidates onto the scheme. Over 282 pupils have benefited from the scheme.
NLNG Undergraduate Scholarship
This was founded as a critical component of education intervention programme for the host communities in 1998 and was later opened up to the rest of Nigeria in 2003. The introduction of online application and use of social media (Facebook) for information dissemination in 2012 made selection process more efficient and cost effective, and increased awareness.
Overall, NLNG has spent N500 million on undergraduate scholarships for Nigerian students in various universities. The value of the scholarship was recently reviewed from N100,000 to N300,000 per awardee for an academic year.
The scheme has been expanded to accommodate more students starting from 2018/2019 academic year. Over 3,149 pupils have benefited from the scheme.
NLNG Overseas Post Graduate Scholarship
This scheme was launched in October 2012 with an annual intake of 15 beneficiaries to study in leading UK universities. The value of the scholarship is $67,500 per awardee per programme.
Actual spend per awardee however ranges from $45,000 to $67,500, depending on the course of study.
The scheme covers these areas of study: Environmental Studies, Engineering, Management, Accountancy, Economics, Information Technology, Geology, Banking, Law and Medicine.
The 2018 set has commenced their programmes in various UK universities. 66 persons have so far benefited from the scheme.
NLNG Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Scholarship
The security situation in North Eastern Nigeria has unfortunately created a large population of vulnerable persons.
This scheme was instituted to complement Federal Government’s efforts in rebuilding Nigeria’s North-Eastern region through award of scholarships to 30 candidates (10 from each of the IDP camps in the three states worse hit by insurgency – Adamawa, Borno and Yobe).
This award is for sponsorship of students in secondary education.
Other interventions
In 2014, NLNG also flagged off a University Support Programme (USP) to help develop engineering education capacity in the country.
The company spent $12 million ($2 million each) on the construction or rehabilitation of engineering laboratories, equipped with cutting-edge equipment in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; University of Ibadan (UI); University of Ilorin (UNILORIN); University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT); University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID); and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
These facilities are world-class and well positioned to enable the development of engineering education and help bring the universities at par with their peers worldwide. The six projects have been completed, commissioned and are being put to good use.
The company also established an accredited London City & Guilds centre in Nigeria, Bonny Vocational Centre. The centre produces world-class technicians to fill the skills gap in Nigeria.
In Rivers State, NLNG promotes a science quiz competition, which provides educational materials as well as constructs classrooms across its host communities.
Nigeria Prize for Science and the Nigeria Prize for Literature
NLNG, in partnership with The Nigerian Academy of Science and The Nigerian Academy of Letters, instituted The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature to honour and encourage excellent innovators and writers.
The prizes, the largest in Africa, each come with $100,000 prize money and have over the years become the most celebrated and sought-after prizes in Africa.
The prize money grew to $100,000 in 2011 from $20,000 in 2004 to $30,000 in 2006 and to $50,000 in 2008.
The exercise brings Nigerian scientists and creative writers to public attention and celebrates excellence in scientific breakthroughs and literary accomplishments in the country.
While an advisory board made up of distinguished scientists, administers the Science Prize, an advisory board for literature comprising members of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) and Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) administers the Literature Prize.
Together they have teams of excellent judges to review the works of the participants.
The different genres for literature – Poetry, Prose Fiction, Drama and Children’s Literature – that are focused on in rotation each year for the Literature Prize also turn out books that are internationally celebrated.
The company announced in April that it received 173 entries for the Literature Prize for 2019 with focus on children’s literature.
While handing over the entries to the Advisory Board chaired by Prof. Emeritus Ayo Banjo, NLNG’s Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Andy Odeh said: “As we deliver these 173 books for your vetting, we eagerly look forward to the discovery of yet another literary gem that will open up possibilities for millions of children not only in Nigeria, but all over Africa.
“We can confidently say that the Nigeria Prize for Literature has brought some previously unknown Nigerian writers to public attention. Our generation and those after us are becoming familiar with not just legends like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Okara, Elechi Amadi, and Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Mabel Segun and other writers of longstanding acclaim that, perhaps, some of us had the opportunity of reading as children, but also a new cadre of writers like Kaine Agary, Adeleke Adeyemi, Tade Ipadeola, Ikeogu Oke, Soji Cole and others.”
The panel of judges led by Prof. Obododinma Oha received the entries.
NLNG also received 10 entries for Literary Criticism Prize with mouth-watering prize money of N1 million.
Winners of the Literature and Literary Criticism prizes will be announced at an award ceremony in October 2019 to commemorate the anniversary of the first LNG export from the NLNG plant on October 9, 1999.
On May 14, the firm announced that 29 scientists would vie to find long-lasting solutions to erosions, droughts and desertification plaguing different parts of the country for the 2019 edition of the Science Prize.
While handing over the entries to the Advisory Board, chaired by Prof. Alfred Susu, Mr Odeh said: “the business of scientific innovation and research is not an easy task anywhere in the world. In Nigeria, it is even more difficult because of the paucity of research funds and the resulting increasing lack of interest.”
The entries were immediately handed over to the panel of judges, chaired by Prof. Deborah Ajakaiye.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature has rewarded eminent writers such as the late Ikeogu Oke (2017, Poetry) with The Heresiad; Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (2016, Prose) with Season of Crimson Blossoms; Sam Ukala (2014; Drama) with Iredi War; Tade Ipadeola (2013; Poetry) with his collection of poems, Sahara Testaments; Chika Unigwe (2012 – prose), with her novel, On Black Sister’s Street; Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, children’s literature) with his book, The Missing Clock among others.
Some of the previous winners of Nigeria Prize for Science are Ikeoluwapo Ajayi, Ayodele Jegede, Bidemi Yusuf, Olugbenga Mokuolu and Chukwuma Agubata (2017), Professor Akii Ibhadode (2010); the late Professor Andrew Nok (2009); Dr Ebenezer Meshida (2008); Professor Michael Adikwu (2006); and joint winners Professor Akpoveta Susu and his then doctoral student, Kingsley Abhulimen (2004).
Despite the much that has been done, NLNG is not showing signs of slowing down in its commitment to investing in the nation’s finest brains.
Incorporated in 1989, NLNG is owned by four shareholders who share the same goal of improving education: the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%) and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr. l (10.4%).
