…Application opens today
…The scholarship will provide financial and educational support to 300 qualified first-year students from OML 17 host communities
…The launch of the Scholarship Programme comes as the company’s CEO shared the powerful story of resilience, bold decisions, and shared purpose behind the transformation of the faded asset.
MON JULY 21 2025-theGBJournal| The NNPC/Heirs Energies Joint Venture, through the OML 17 Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), has officially launched the OML 17 University Scholarship Programme (USP), part of its bold commitment to invest in the future of its host communities.
The launch of the Scholarship Programme comes as the company’s CEO shared the powerful story of resilience, bold decisions, and shared purpose behind the transformation of the faded asset.
According to a statement by Heirs Energies, the scholarship will provide financial and educational support to 300 qualified first-year students from OML 17 host communities who are currently enrolled in any course of study at government-owned universities across Nigeria.
”This initiative is part of the Trust’s broader mission to promote sustainable development through education and human capital investment, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” the company said.
Applications for the scholarship opens today (21st July 2025), followed by an online testing and screening process. Final selections and the formal announcement of the 300 beneficiaries will take place in September 2025, aligning with the start of the new academic year.
Speaking on the launch, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Samuel Amaechi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, OML 17 HCDT, stated: “The launch of the OML 17 USP marks a new chapter in our efforts to uplift the youth in our host communities. We are proud to roll out a transparent, merit-based scholarship that will provide real access to education for those who need it most. This is not just a scholarship; it is a pathway to a better future.”
Also commenting, Osa Igiehon, CEO, Heirs Energies Limited, said: “Education is the foundation of progress, and by empowering young people with access to learning, we are building stronger, more resilient communities. At Heirs Energies, we believe that shared prosperity begins with shared opportunity.”
Eligible candidates from OML 17 host communities are encouraged to apply from 21st July 2025 via the official scholarship portal: heirsenergies.com/scholarships. Detailed eligibility requirements and application procedures will be available on the website, on community notice boards, flyers, and through grassroots channels across the host communities.
The OML 17 Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), established by the NNPC/Heirs Energies Joint Venture under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, drives sustainable development and economic empowerment across 73 communities. It is the largest HCDT in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and is committed to transparency, inclusion, and long-term impact.
Meanwhile, at last week’s Heirs Holdings CEO Leadership Session, CEO, Osa Igiehon, shared the powerful story of resilience, bold decisions, and shared purpose behind the transformation of the once faded asset.
Igiehon recalled that on acquisition in 2021, the Recovery Factor at the terminal had dropped to just 3%, driven by unprecedented oil theft and infrastructure sabotage.
Confidence in the asset, and its people was rapidly fading.
However, fast forward just 3 years after the acquisition, Heirs Energies delivered what the CEO describes as one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Nigeria’s energy sector: 100% Recovery Factor achieved by Q4 2024, over $1 billion in revenue generated and Zero fatality operations.
Recall that Heirs Energies bought 45% participating interest in the OML 17, valued at $1.1 billion along with related assets, from Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, and ENI.
The deal was considered one of the biggest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade.
The acquisition was financed through a consortium of global and regional banks and investor.
By end of Q4-2024, Heirs Energies was pumping 51,000 barrels of crude oil per day from OML 17.
Heirs Energies has equally turned its attention on growing gas production to support power generation and gas based industries.
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