The Seplat Energy Plc, in partnership with its Joint Venture partner, the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, has empowered Edo, Delta students with N18 m.

The firm made the disclosure shortly after the grand finale of the 2025 edition of the PEARLs Quiz competition for secondary schools across Edo and Delta States on Saturday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The Pioneer Education Centre, Edo State, emerged winner and took home the N10m prize money, while second and third placed schools, Notre Dame College, Uzoro, Delta State and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Model College, Benin, Edo State, received N5 m and N3 m, respectively.

The PEARLs Quiz, which stands for Promoting Exceptional and Respectable Leaders, is one of Seplat Energy JV’s flagship Corporate Social Investment initiatives geared towards the promotion of academic excellence, nurturing critical thinking, and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

In her opening remarks, the Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, represented by Hadiza Garbati, General Manager, Government Relations, Seplat, welcomed the governments of Delta and Edo States and congratulated all the participants, particularly those who made it to the grand finale.

The initiative, she pointed out was conceived for promoting exceptional and respectable leaders, dating back to 2012, which has seen Sepalt remain active in host communities and helping to foster students in the right direction.

She noted that by the quality of participation in this year’s edition, the students have demonstrated that the initiative is already bearing fruit by nurturing young people. “A school might be going home today with the prize, but all of you are already winners, and I congratulate you,” she said.

According to her, the learning each participant had gained from the PEARLs Quiz will make him or her a better person in the journey of life.

She commended the teachers, many of whom have also been trained under various CSI initiatives of Seplat for encouraging the students to make the 2025 PEARLs Quiz a huge success

In addition to the quiz competition, the grand finale also featured the STEAM Innovation Challenge, where students showcased inventive projects in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics

On his part, Nicolas Foucart, Managing Director of NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, represented by the Corporate Communication Department’s Godwin Ijiga, expressed joy at the enthusiasm and brilliance demonstrated by the participants across Edo and Delta States.

In his remarks, Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State Governor, represented by Ms. Orode Udughan, Delta State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, commended the Seplat JV for the initiative, which he said has greatly impacted students in Edo and Delta states for many years.

She said, “Today, we celebrate not just a contest but the brilliance, promise and potential of our young people, the true future of our states and our nation.

“On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I extend profound appreciation to Seplat Energy and the NNPC Joint Venture for their consistent and impactful investment in education.

“The PEARLS quiz, which translates to promoting exceptional and respectable Leaders, is a shining example of corporate social responsibility that aligns perfectly with our developmental vision.

“For years, this initiative has provided a vibrant platform for students to demonstrate intellect, confidence and character while promoting the culture of academic excellence.

The World Bank plans to deploy as much as $14 bn to boost global agribusiness by 2030 through a new programme dubbed AgriConnect, part of a broader effort to create jobs and drive inclusive growth in developing economies.

The initiative, announced during the World Bank Group–International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings under the theme “From Sectors to Systems: Building Job-Rich Economies at Scale”, is designed to help shift smallholder farming from subsistence to profit-driven enterprise. The lender says AgriConnect could generate millions of jobs while strengthening food systems and rural economies in low- and middle-income countries.

World Bank President Ajay Banga said the programme marks a major shift in the institution’s approach from financing isolated projects to building entire economic ecosystems that can deliver sustainable job creation.

“We’ve set a target to double our agribusiness commitments to $9bn annually by 2030, aiming to mobilise an additional $5bn,” Banga said at the launch event, AgriConnect: Farms, Firms, and Finance for Jobs.

“This is grounded in what we’ve tested in the field and in lessons borrowed from others. Steal shamelessly and share seamlessly; that is how we succeed together.”

According to the World Bank, family farms, including more than 500 million smallholders, produce about 80 per cent of the world’s food, yet many remain trapped in poverty without access to markets, finance, or modern technology.

The AgriConnect campaign calls on governments, private investors, and donor partners to pool resources to close these gaps and make agriculture a major engine of employment and growth.

The initiative will prioritise investments in infrastructure, digital technology, and policy reforms that help farmers increase productivity, integrate into value chains, and access financing. By doing so, the Bank hopes to strengthen food systems and reduce the risks of unemployment and hunger in rural areas.

Banga emphasised that the jobs agenda remains central to the World Bank’s mission of ending poverty on a liveable planet. With more than one billion young people expected to enter the global workforce over the next decade, he said, the world cannot afford to ignore sectors like agriculture that offer large-scale employment potential.

Beyond AgriConnect, the Annual Meetings featured broad discussions on how to build job-rich economies at scale, bringing together leaders from governments, civil society, and the private sector. The World Bank’s Development Committee, representing all 189 member countries, reaffirmed support for a faster and more effective institution capable of delivering impact with efficiency.

At the sidelines, the Leaders’ Speaker Series featured global voices, including Dr. Mona Mourshed, CEO of Generation, and Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, who shared insights on aligning education, innovation, and policy with job creation goals.

The AgriConnect launch capped a week of engagement that underscored partnership, trust, and collaboration as the bedrock of sustainable development.

“Jobs remain the most reliable route out of poverty,” Banga added. “They provide dignity, stability, and hope. Through AgriConnect, we are connecting the dots between farms, firms, and finance to deliver those opportunities at scale.”

The bank explained that the promo targets a broad demographic, including NYSC members, women, children, and small traders, with participation starting from deposits as low as N2,000.

It stated that the draws were supervised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to ensure fairness and transparency.

Each N5,000 deposit qualifies customers for the monthly and grand draws, where N10m, N5m, and N2m will be awarded to the grand prize winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up respectively.

Fidelity Bank added that N47m remains available to be won in upcoming draws, including N30m in the monthly draws and N17m in the grand finale scheduled for December.

In the seventh and eighth monthly draws, 20 customers received N1m each.

Speaking on the development, the bank’s Divisional Head of Product Development, Osita Ede, said the promo’s extension was based on customer feedback.

“They asked for more opportunities to benefit from the promo, and we listened. With management and regulatory consent, we’re thrilled to keep the excitement going for another three months,” he said.

The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has the opportunity to increase its 7.2 per cent stake in the Dangote refinery.

However, Dangote said this would happen after he must have proven to the state-owned company what the refinery can do.

Dangote stated this in a recent interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights.

“The door remains open for Nigerian National Petroleum Co. to boost its stake after the state oil company trimmed its interest to 7.2 per cent, but not before its next phase of growth is well underway.

“I want to demonstrate what this refinery can do, then we can sit down and talk,” Dangote was quoted as saying.

A close aide of Dangote was also reported to have said that the company would exert caution before inviting additional participation from NNPC.

Within the next year, he noted that the refining business will list 5–10 per cent of its shares on the Nigerian stock exchange.

“We don’t want to keep more than 65-70 per cent,” Dangote said, explaining that shares will be offered incrementally subject to investor appetite and market depth.

The NNPC had reduced its stake in the Dangote refinery from 20 per cent to 7.2 per cent.

The former spokesperson of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed last year that the state-owned energy firm reduced its stake in the Dangote refinery to invest in compressed natural gas.

Soneye revealed that the NNPC capped its stake at 7.2 per cent instead of 20 per cent to build CNG stations across the nation.

He stated this while featuring on Berekete Family Radio, a video of which was sighted by our correspondent.

He mentioned that the NNPC realised that CNG was more affordable as a better energy alternative for Nigerians, especially during the period of energy transition.

He added that Nigerians could fuel their vehicles with N10,000 when using CNG, compared to petrol.

“The reason for reducing our stake in the Dangote refinery is because we wanted to invest in CNG. We observed that CNG is very cheap, and all over the world, people are investing in clean and cheaper alternative energy.

“That is why the NNPC is building different CNG stations everywhere. We understand that with N10,000, Nigerians can fill their cars and use it for two weeks. We realised that gas is cheaper in Nigeria; why don’t we invest in it?” the former NNPC spokesman said in August 2024.

The new Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, had recently told Argus Media that NNPC remains committed to increasing its stake in the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery.

Many Nigerians were surprised to hear from Dangote in 2024 the the NNPC had trimmed its investment in the refinery to a paltry 7.2 per cent.