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| Photo shows: Sophia Horsfall (middle), GM, External Relations & Sustainable Development; Yemi Adeyemi (6th left), Manager, Community Relations & Sustainable Development; with beneficiaries at the NLNG VIBES Graduation/Induction Ceremony in Port Harcourt, Monday, March 16 2026. |
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) is powering up its Vocational Innovation Business and Empowerment Scheme (VIBES), inducting 103 fresh trainees into its 2026 cohort for transformative economic empowerment.
The vibrant induction ceremony took place in Port Harcourt on Monday, March 16, 2026, underscoring NLNG’s unwavering dedication to skills training and lasting economic growth.
As detailed in a press release by Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, Manager of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, these trainees will dive into intensive capacity-building sessions.
The program peaks with a high-stakes pitching competition, where top business ideas win funding based on rigorous evaluation criteria.
Simultaneously, the press statement adds, 26 beneficiaries from the previous cohort successfully completed their training and graduated from the programmme. They received grant support in the preceding year, marking the close of their training, the statement also added.
“One year after receiving support, several of the graduates have strengthened their operations, enhanced financial management practices, expanded their customer base, and transitioned from early-stage concepts to more structured, revenue-generating enterprises,” it also notes
Some, it added, have scaled up production and diversified their service offerings, demonstrating measurable business growth and improved operational stability.
Speaking at the induction ceremony in Port Harcourt, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, emphasised NLNG’s commitment to sustainable community development, stating:
“The VIBES programme reflects NLNG’s long-standing commitment to sustainable development in our host communities. Through targeted capacity building, access to innovative support, and enterprise development opportunities, we are strengthening the local economy across our host and pipeline communities. The graduation of one cohort and the induction of another showcase the continuity of our investment in youth empowerment, innovation, and enterprise development as key drivers of inclusive growth.”
She added that VIBES represents a strategic intervention aligned with NLNG’s broader sustainable development objectives. The programme is designed to cultivate entrepreneurial capability and strengthen the networks required for emerging business leaders and community change-makers to thrive within their communities.
Also speaking at the event, the Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Yemi Adeyemi, described the milestone as rewarding, noting the progress made by the graduating cohort.
“When we supported them last year, it was not only with training but also with grants to help strengthen their businesses. A year later, we can see the difference, businesses are expanding, ideas have moved beyond the planning stage, and the beneficiaries are more confident in managing their ventures. That is the essence of VIBES, practical support that helps people make real progress.”
VIBES is NLNG’s economic empowerment programme designed to equip young entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and support required to build sustainable livelihoods, the press statement explains.
Participants receive practical training in financial management, marketing, business strategy, and foundational legal principles, complemented by mentorship and advisory guidance from experienced professionals.
This integrated approach is said to combine capacity development with funding support to enable participants to scale their businesses, improve profitability, and build sustainable enterprises.
Economic empowerment remains a key component of NLNG’s broader sustainable development efforts, alongside education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Newsmart gathered that through VIBES, the company aims to support more young entrepreneurs in building viable businesses, creating economic value, and contributing meaningfully to the development of its host and pipeline communities across Rivers State.
Following the relaunch of the programme, 26 participants have so far benefited from the grant and completed their training under the initiative.
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