Almost N600 million may have been spent on 66 Nigerian international scholars sent to the United Kingdom by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Company in the past seven years to study strategic courses from Medicine and Engineering to Law.
This is as the company marked its 20 years of operations and 30 years of incorporation with another batch of 12 scholars flagged off at the Hotel Presidential on Monday, September 9, 2019.
The scholarship is said to worth an average of N9m or between N6m and N11m depending on the course. It is said to cover tuition, accommodation, living expenses and travels.
NLNG officials said on Monday that Particular focus is given to select professional courses, which include Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Studies, Management Sciences, Information Technology, Law and Medicine, all at Masters Level.
The 12 latest scholarships were awarded at the second edition of NLNG Scholars Day, said to be in commemoration of the Company’s interventions in education.
NLNG says it offers post-primary, undergraduate, and post-graduate scholarships to students in her host communities and across the country. “The Post-Graduate Scholarship Scheme was launched to grow a pool of dedicated professionals to bridge the specialist skills gap, in line with the Company’s vision of helping to build a better Nigeria. The scholarship is fully funded and administered by NLNG”, the company said.
Speaking at the event, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, NLNG’s general manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, remarked that NLNG has recorded tremendous success in human capacity development, especially through scholarship programmes and other initiatives.
She said: “The progressive increase in the number of students who apply and qualify for our three tier scholarship schemes comprising the Post-Primary, the Undergraduate and our Overseas Post Graduate Scholarship schemes indicate that our focus on supporting education at all levels is a right decision which is yielding positive results.
“Through the award of this Overseas Post Graduates Scholarship to deserving beneficiaries today, NLNG provides opportunity for these young Nigerians to acquire specialised education in top universities in the UK,” she said.
Fatayi-Williams remarked further that the company celebrates 20 years of successful operation, and 30 years anniversary of incorporation, adding; “NLNG has good reason to celebrate its success as a business. Our achievements are an assurance to our host communities and the nation at large that we are committed to the realization of our vision of helping to build a better Nigeria.”
The NLNG Scholarships Scheme is one of NLNG’s interventions in education. NLNG built and equipped the Bonny Vocational Centre (BVC), which helps to bridge the gap in technical education in the country. To date, BVC has trained over 400 Nigerians in a range of vocational and related occupational skill-sets.
The company also funds the NLNG Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES). Over 80 youths from Rivers State are participating in different short-term entrepreneurial skills in 2019.
NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (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%).
