Three schools in Edo and Delta States just got a serious boost to their classrooms, and it all began with a quiz.
The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and Seplat Energy Joint Venture have wrapped up the 2026 edition of its flagship PEARLs Quiz Competition in Benin City, awarding N18 million in infrastructure grants to the top three schools. With 476 secondary schools taking part, this year’s edition recorded its widest reach yet.
Notre Dame takes the top spot.
Notre Dame College, Ozoro, Delta State, emerged winner of the competition, securing the championship trophy and a N10 million education infrastructure grant. Henson Demonstration School, Benin City, finished second with a N5 million grant, while Lumen Christi College, Uromi, came third with N3 million.
Student representatives and supervising teachers from the winning schools also received individual educational support prizes, adding another layer of recognition to the schools behind the results.
Beyond the quiz
The grand finale also featured a STEAM Innovation Showcase, where students presented practical solutions to industrial and community challenges. Cradle High School won first place and received a N1 million project development prize, while Ogbe Secondary School earned N500,000 for second place. Meridien Royal Academy took third place and went home with N200,000.
That addition matters because it pushes the program beyond academic competition into applied problem-solving. It gives students a chance to show not only what they know, but what they can build with it.
Why it matters.
Speaking at the event, Seplat’s Chief Operating Officer, Samson Ezugworie, said the joint venture’s education interventions go beyond conventional support and are aimed at building a stronger, globally competitive education system.
Representing NEPL Managing Director Nicolas Foucart, Olubukonla Oyegbami said the deeper value of the program lies in the experience itself, noting that every participant leaves as a winner in some sense. That message fits the spirit of the competition: the prizes are important, but the larger goal is to grow confidence, discipline, and problem-solving skills.
A longer investment.
Chioma Afe, Seplat’s Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, said the PEARLs programme has reached more than 57,000 students since it launched in 2012 and has channelled over N100 million into school infrastructure and educational development. She also pointed to the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme and the rollout of STEAM laboratories across host communities as the next phase of that investment.
For schools in Edo and Delta States, PEARLs has become more than a contest. It is now a practical pipeline for infrastructure support, with students’ academic performance helping unlock real improvements for their classrooms.
One classroom, One student, and one community at a time. Source ThisDay Live
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