Onome Amuge
Eni’s Nigerian subsidiary has expanded its investment in local talent, awarding 30 postgraduate scholarships to graduates across Nigeria as part of a long-running effort to build capacity in the country’s energy sector.
Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE), a wholly owned unit of the Italian energy group, conferred the awards in Abuja last week under the 2025/2026 edition of its postgraduate scholarship scheme, run in partnership with state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
10 of the beneficiaries will pursue advanced studies overseas at universities across Europe, North America and Asia, while 20 will study in Nigerian institutions in fields including engineering, geosciences, petroleum and environmental technology, energy economics, renewable energy and energy transition.
Fabrizio Bolondi, NAE’s vice-chairman and managing director, said the scholarships reflected the company’s determination to invest in Nigeria’s human capital. “The award ceremony highlights our continuous commitment to the future of education, innovation, and capacity building in Nigeria,” he said. Bolondi urged the students to acquire skills that would benefit the country, especially within the energy industry.
The event was also attended by senior figures from NNPC’s upstream arm. The company’s chief upstream investment officer, represented by external relations manager Edith Bunmi-Lawson, and PSC asset deputy manager Paul Duke, underscored the scheme’s role in bridging the skills gap in deepwater oil and gas operations.
The scholarship programme was established in 2007 and has since supported 350 graduates, many of whom have gone on to careers in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. It is one of several social investment initiatives undertaken by Eni in Nigeria, alongside projects in health, education, water access, infrastructure and community development.
NAE, incorporated in 1996, manages Eni’s deep offshore exploration and production portfolio in Nigeria. The company was the first operator to bring oil on stream from Nigeria’s deepwater fields and now holds interests in six offshore blocks as operator or co-venturer. Parent group Eni also maintains a 5 per cent stake in the Renaissance joint venture, a 12.5 per cent interest in OML 135 and OML 118 (which includes the Bonga field), and a 10.4 per cent holding in Nigeria LNG.
