NNPC, FIRST E&P Launch Multi-Year Grant for Nigerian NGOs, Select 5 Beneficiaries
- NNPC and FIRST E&P launch Impact FIRST: Heritage to support NGOs delivering social impact in Nigeria
- Five Nigerian NGOs receive inaugural grants focusing on long-term support for proven interventions
- The initiative transitions from annual grants to multi-year funding for sustainable social investment
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The NNPC Limited/FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) Joint Venture has launched a new multi-year grant programme to support Nigerian non-governmental organisations delivering measurable social impact across the country.
Known as Impact FIRST: Heritage, the initiative is designed to provide sustained funding and long-term partnership support to outstanding NGOs that have demonstrated strong governance, accountability and the ability to deliver lasting change.
Source: Twitter
The inaugural grant presentation ceremony was held in Ikoyi, Lagos, bringing together representatives of the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P Joint Venture, beneficiary organisations, development stakeholders and members of the media.
New grant builds on 2024 Impact FIRST programme
Impact FIRST: Heritage builds on the success of the flagship Impact FIRST grant programme launched in 2024 to support innovative NGOs tackling critical social challenges in Nigeria.
Since its inception, the programme has supported 15 organisations whose interventions have reached more than 20,000 beneficiaries across the country.
However, the new Heritage programme adopts a different approach. While the annual Impact FIRST initiative provides one-off grants to a wider pool of eligible organisations, Impact FIRST: Heritage focuses on organisations that have already demonstrated strong performance and provides them with multi-year support.
The model is intended to help successful NGOs strengthen their institutional capacity, expand proven interventions and achieve greater impact over time, according to a report by Punch.
Five Nigerian NGOs selected
Five organisations were selected as the inaugural beneficiaries following a rigorous assessment process.
They include The IREDE Foundation, which provides prosthetic limbs and support services for child amputees; Asido Foundation, which supports the rehabilitation and reintegration of people living with severe mental health conditions; and Cerebral Palsy Centre, which provides long-term care and support for people living with cerebral palsy.
Also selected are the Health and Development Support Programme, known for eye-care interventions and sight-restoring surgeries for underserved communities, and the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), which expands access to emergency healthcare and supports first-responder capacity development.
FIRST E&P, NNPC highlight sustainable social investment
Speaking at the ceremony, Executive Director, Corporate Services, FIRST E&P, Emmanuel Etomi, described the programme as an important evolution in the Joint Venture’s social investment strategy.
He said the initiative would enable organisations with proven results to scale their work, strengthen their capacity and create greater value for vulnerable and underserved communities.
The Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Olanrewaju Igandan, represented at the event by Usman Mohammed-Bello, Advisor, Community Relations, NUIMS, said the shift from annual corporate giving to multi-year funding reflected a more strategic approach to social investment.
He commended FIRST E&P for the initiative and reaffirmed NUIMS’ commitment to collaborative efforts that support national development priorities.
Beneficiaries welcome long-term support
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, HEI Executive Director Pascal Achunine expressed appreciation for the support, describing the investment as more than funding.
Source: Twitter
He said the grant represents a vote of confidence in organisations working across Nigeria’s social sector and would help them deepen their impact and reach more beneficiaries.
Through Impact FIRST: Heritage, the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P JV aims to strengthen proven interventions and expand access to critical services across healthcare, education, economic empowerment and community development.
First Bank unveils N10 million business grants
Previously, Legit.ng reported that FirstBank has awarded N10 million in grants to female business owners through its inaugural Spark A Gem Challenge, a competition run under the bank's Women-Preneur Pitch-a-Ton programme, designed to unlock growth opportunities for women-led businesses in Nigeria.
The competition drew 356 applications from women entrepreneurs operating across multiple sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, education, food processing, and hospitality.
Source: Legit.ng
