By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos
The NEPL/Seplat Energy Joint Venture said it has onboarded 650 teachers and Chief Inspectors of Education (CIE) in Edo and Delta States for its 2025 Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).
The 650 participants were drawn from over 4,666 applicants who took part in an online selection process, the venture partners said in a statement.
According to them, the onboarding workshop is the critical foundation phase where collaborative dynamics, programme orientation, and android tablets are seeded ahead of the four-month virtual training and mentorship programme, which leads to Microsoft certification.
The statement also said that the programme began with a two-day workshop in Benin City, with sessions expected to mark the transformative journey of teachers’ upskilling and professional development, with both Edo and Delta States having 325 participants each.
The Seplat JV provides the participants with data throughout the duration of the training for seamless internet access.
At the first leg of the workshop held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Chioma Afe, Director of External Affairs & Social Performance at Seplat Energy, was said to have welcomed the new cohort, encouraged them to take the training seriously and outlined the strategic significance of both phases of the training.
Ms. Afe, in a paper on, “Communication for Change – Teachers as Agents of Change,” shared a strategic communication code – “the 7-c’s of communication”, including clarity, conciseness, consideration, completeness, courtesy, concreteness, and correctness, with them.
She said the code is vital as, “A teacher is a professional who facilitates learning, guiding students to acquire knowledge, develop competencies, and grow intellectually and emotionally.”
On his part, Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, who represented the Governor, Monday Okpebholo, commended the Seplat JV for the initiative and described the participants as privileged as “these are the kinds of lecture packages people go to Dubai and pay top dollars for.”
He urged them to keep faith with the programme, adding: “In Edo State, we want to make sure that our teachers are packed with excellence, because the quality of the teachers impact the quality of the students.”
A teacher is a professional who facilitates learning, guiding students to acquire knowledge, develop competencies, and grow intellectually and emotionally.
Leadership and self development
Similarly, Director, Corporate Services, Seplat Energy, Steve Ojeh, charged the participants to propel their careers from within with determination, increased curiosity, willingness to learn and embrace new ideas so as to impact strongly on the society.
Mr Ojeh, in a paper on: “Leadership and Self Development”, charged the participants to be passionate, intentional and ambitious in their career pursuits.
In the Delta State edition, the workshop reinforced the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV’s commitment to a replicable and sustainable model of educational impact across its core host states.
At the Asaba session, the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, who was represented by the Director, Schools, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Ighavbota Winifred, applauded the Seplat JV for the initiative,
Highlighting the state’s continued support for the initiative, Ms. Ezewo charged the participants to take the training seriously because it would have long-term impact on, not just academic fortunes, but on the general well-being of the society.
According to her, many ills befalling the Nigerian society can be traced to the quality of education given to the current generation.
“We are very pleased to welcome the Seplat JV’s STEP initiative because we are looking at the long-term benefits for Delta State and Nigeria in general. We encourage the participants to be serious and make the most of the opportunity,” she added.
Launched in 2020, the STEP has empowered 1,334 teachers and CIEs across Edo and Delta States through its signature blend of STEAM-focused training, capacity building, and long-term mentorship.
The programme structure combines an intensive onboarding experience with a four-month virtual learning supported by a mobile app and web-based platform.
The onboarding workshops serve to immerse participants in sessions covering leadership development, emotional intelligence, STEAM pedagogy, and digital preparedness for 21st-century classrooms. Educators also engage in collaborative group work, designing school-based projects they will execute during the mentorship phase.
