Shell Companies in Nigeria, comprising Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), have paid a total of $142.5 million to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2023.
The SPDC Director and Country Head, Corporate Relations, Igo Weli, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday, that was signed by the Manager in charge of Communications, Media and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) Relations, Bamidele Odugbesan.
Weli said SPDC paid $112.5 million while SNEPCo remitted $30 million compared to $59.04 million by SPDC and $20.73 by SNEPCo in 2022.
The contributions, according to him, came from the Shell companies on behalf of themselves and their respective partners – Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC); TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited; Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited – as statutory contributions to the interventionist agency.
“Our support for NDDC is part of our aspirations for the development of the Niger Delta which has also seen a wide range of social investments, including health and education.
“With the continuous support of our partners, we will continue to discharge our obligations to communities through statutory payments to agencies and projects executed in partnership with stakeholders,” Weli said.
The statement posited that Shell Companies in Nigeria have supported community development programmes in the country since the 1960s, benefitting many Nigerians.
It stated that support for education has led to the award of more than 3,450 secondary school grants, 3,772 university grants and 1,062 cradle-to-career scholarship grants since 2016.
Another investment, the oil major noted, has seen the introduction of the Health-in-Motion programme, providing free medical services directly to communities, adding that over one million individuals have benefited from the programme since its inception in the early 2000s.
Also, the global Shell LiveWIRE entrepreneurship programme supported 73 businesses through training and mentorship programmes leading to 97 employment opportunities for Nigerians, the company maintained.
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
