Seplat Energy pushes education reform in Africa
-Advocates stronger partnerships, digital innovation and STEAM education
By Jennifer John
Seplat Energy Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing education across Africa, calling for stronger collaboration among governments, the private sector and development partners to build sustainable, inclusive learning systems that will prepare young people for the future of work.
The indigenous energy company made the commitment at the 2026 Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS), where it sponsored a high-level plenary session titled “Powering Africa’s Future: Private Sector Leadership in Education Transformation.”
The session brought together policymakers, business leaders, development partners, academics and education stakeholders to explore practical strategies for transforming Africa’s education sector through innovation, digital technology, investment in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, and strategic public-private partnerships.
Speaking on behalf of Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roger Brown, the company’s Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Mrs Chioma Afe, said the company’s partnership with ASIS reflects its commitment to translating dialogue into meaningful and measurable impact.
According to Brown, Seplat Energy has continued to make significant investments in education across its host communities in Edo, Delta and Imo states, with plans to expand similar interventions to Akwa Ibom State.
He said the company’s education initiatives include scholarships for tertiary students, teacher development programmes, school support projects, STEAM laboratories, the Access to Energy initiative, and the Seplat Innovation Programme, implemented in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to encourage secondary school students to develop innovative clean energy solutions.
Brown stressed that Africa’s education challenges require collective action.
> “No one country, industry or institution can do it alone. Through collaboration, sound policies and sustained private sector investment, we can equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” he said.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described education as the most strategic investment any nation can make and commended Seplat Energy for its sustained contributions to Nigeria’s education sector.
She praised the company’s scholarship programmes, teacher development initiatives, school infrastructure projects and STEAM education interventions, noting that such investments complement government efforts to improve educational outcomes.
The minister emphasised that digital transformation remains central to building a future-ready education system and called on the private sector to increase investment in digital infrastructure, educational technology, artificial intelligence, teacher training, school connectivity, and technical and vocational education.
Also speaking, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat, underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in financing education and other critical sectors, including healthcare, infrastructure and technology.
He noted that sustained investment in young people is essential to building resilient economies and unlocking Africa’s long-term development potential.
Participants at the summit agreed that strengthening digital literacy, expanding artificial intelligence education, improving teacher capacity and promoting innovation will be critical to preparing Africa’s next generation for emerging global opportunities.
The summit ended with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among governments, businesses and development partners to build resilient education systems capable of driving sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Through its continued investments in education, innovation and human capital development, Seplat Energy reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing the skilled workforce needed to power Africa’s future.
