Yemisi Izuora
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has been awarded the “Best Company in Education” at the recently held 14th Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) in Lagos.
NLNG was recognised for its annual scholarship schemes which have benefited Nigerian students at Post-Primary, Undergraduate and Post-graduate education levels. The Company was also recognised for its contribution to vocational and skills training through the Bonny Vocational Centre (BVC), a City & Guilds certified training institute.
Receiving the award, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG, Mrs Eyono Fatayi-Williams, said the award was a testimonial of the Company’s contributions to the education sector in Nigeria, adding that NLNG was committed to the development of education and human capital at all levels, especially with regard to the youths who are our country’s future.
She noted that NLNG, which is arguably the most successful Company in Nigeria with 100% Nigerian management, has shown that Nigerians can excel and can compete favourably in the world through education and deliberate development of skills.
Mrs Fatayi-Williams added that the Company’s CSR efforts in education as well as in other critical sectors of the country are driven by its vision of “helping to build a better Nigeria”.
NLNG sponsors Post Primary, Undergraduate and Post Graduate scholarships to encourage academic excellence and to support human capital development in Nigeria. The scholarships have benefited over 3,500 Nigerian students at post-primary, undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
The Company also invested $12 million in its programme, University Support Programme (USP), for world-class engineering laboratories and facilities in 6 (six) Nigerian Universities across the 6 (six) geopolitical zones in the country. The University of Port Harcourt, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Ilorin and the University of Maiduguri benefitted from the USP. These laboratories have since been completed and are in use.
Furthermore, NLNG built and equipped the Bonny Vocational Center (BVC), which has helped to bridge the gap in technical education in the country. To date, BVC has trained over 2000 Nigerians in a range of vocational and related occupational areas.