In furtherance of its avowed commitment to the educational development of its host communities, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has disbursed scholarship grants totalling over N2 billion to more than 1,500 students indigenous to pipeline host communities across Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia States.
The grants, covering 216 host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and Eastern Gas Network (EGN), were allocated at N500,000 per undergraduate and N1 million per postgraduate student.
The cheques were presented to the beneficiaries on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, during PINL’s monthly stakeholders’ meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The company’s general manager, community and stakeholder relations, Dr Akpos Mezeh, said the initiative was a direct expression of gratitude to communities that have supported the protection of the pipelines.
“This is our own way of saying thank you to our host communities. The beneficiaries total over 1,500, and we have disbursed over N2 billion — and this is exclusive of women empowerment and skill acquisition programmes.”
Mezeh used the occasion to appeal to community youths to reject pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, urging them instead to take advantage of opportunities the company provides.
“We are thanking them for supporting us to protect the pipelines, and we are using this medium to appeal to youths in our communities to shun pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. They should endeavour to provide us with vital information to maintain the momentum.”
He also highlighted the operational gains that community cooperation has helped sustain, noting that the company is on course to support the federal government’s production target.
“There is zero infraction across all our areas of operation. We are approaching the 2 million barrels per day projection of the Federal Government — we have already achieved 1.8 million, and the target is doable.”
Speaking with Kristina Reports, one of the scholars who was awarded the scholarship, Donald Justice, a postgraduate student at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), said the grant arrived as a turning point.
“Initially I thought it was not real, but the money came, and I’m running the programme with so much ease. What they are doing is empowering the common man who never had hope of pursuing their education.
“This will spur me to help others when I am capable. I thank PINL for this opportunity.”