Oil firm to empower host communities in Akwa Ibom

The Frontier/Savannah Energy Trust has concluded plans to empower 80 beneficiaries from Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom as part of its ongoing community development initiative.

The empowerment programme, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, will mark the graduation of the fourth batch of trainees under the Trust’s skills acquisition scheme.

The Trust, which was inaugurated in October 2024, is a joint initiative aimed at creating sustainable impact in host communities. Although described as smaller compared to other Trusts established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), it has continued to invest in human capital development across its areas of operation.

Speaking ahead of the event, Ita Udoh, the Trust Spokesperson, said the 80 beneficiaries were trained across 10 vocational areas over a period of three years.

The skill areas include aluminum fabrication, automobile mechanics, cooling systems and electrical installation, fashion design, photography and cinematography, hairdressing and makeup, barbing, hotel and catering management, as well as welding and fabrication.

Udoh disclosed that all trainees received a monthly transport allowance of N30,000 throughout the duration of the programme.

A breakdown of beneficiaries shows that 48 trainees are from Esit Eket, 24 from Eket, while eight others are from different parts of the state.

According to the Trust, the total expenditure on the training programme stands at N57.3 million, covering payments to trainers and allowances for participants over the three-year period.

It added that N1.7 million is expected to be paid to trainers at the end of the exercise, representing outstanding costs for the final phase of training for the first batch. Yearly spending on the programme includes over N12.3 million in 2023, N96,000 in 2024, and N5.8 million in 2025.

As part of the empowerment package, each beneficiary will receive starter kits tailored to their area of specialization. Items to be distributed include generators, industrial sewing machines, catering equipment, aluminum fabrication tools, and other vocational materials.

The Trust said the initiative is designed to promote self-reliance, reduce unemployment, and stimulate economic growth within the host communities.