Education
NNPC Warns Against Fraudulent Chemistry Prize
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disassociated itself from the trending 2019/2020 Annual Chemistry Competition, emphassing that the programme was fictional and the works of fraudsters.
The corporation in a statement issued by the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Samson Makoji, stated that the online circulated advert, which said the competition was organized to improve the standard of Chemistry education in the country, was phony and advised applicants to be wary of fraudsters.
The advert had stated various fictitious monetary values to the categories of winners, listing eligibility of participants to include graduates of Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and other related courses.
In its statement, the NNPC also called on students and stakeholders in the education value chain not to fall prey to the nefarious activities of the fraudsters. As a preventive measure, the agency further said it has alerted the various security agencies to investigate the matter and apprehend the culprits.
The national oil company, however, has a National Science Quiz Competition in which the 19th edition ended last week and was won by Master Samuel Oluwatobi Ojo, a student of Apt Scholars Universal College, Ota, Ogun State.
The event which was witnessed by President of the Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, also had in attendance the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva; Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El Rufai; Bauchi State Governor, Mr Bala Muhammed; Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Mr Haruna Manu; representatives of the governors of Akwa Ibom and Benue states, among other top stakeholders.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, when giving his remarks, commended the NNPC for sustaining the competition through the last two decades and for bringing innovation to it, year-in-year out while urging other agencies in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to emulate this.
Entrepreneur extraordinaire and President of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, in his remark noted that since its inception, the NNPC National Science Quiz Competition had groomed a set of next generation of scientists and young leaders of thought set to be at the vanguard of innovation and industrial growth.
He said as the world moved ever faster into the period of the fourth industrial revolution, emerging economies like Nigeria needed agile-minded scientists and technicians who can think outside the box in the quest for solutions to the Country’s unique challenges.
Mr Dangote said that by engaging these youths in the competition through the years, NNPC was living up to its expectations, defining a noble path for the future well-being of the participating youths.
“I can only encourage the corporation not to rest on its oars on this laudable initiative and others through which the company impacts on its publics across the country,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
