…Says Youth Entrepreneurship, Education , Inclusion key to achieving UN’s SDG Goals

By Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu

French Energy giant, TotalEnergies says it will continue to contribute to national development and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),  through its various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes across Nigeria.

Executive General Manager, Total Country Services, Mrs Bunmi Popoola-Mordi, who said this at a virtual press briefing, described youth entrepreneurship, education and inclusion as key to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the eradication of poverty in Nigeria.

Popoola-Mordi said the Company’s CSR support was being driven by four pillars namely: road safety, youth inclusion, cultural dialogue and heritage as well as activities on climate change, coastal areas and oceans.

She said Total’s recent transition to TotalEnergies had positioned the company to become one of the dominant players in renewables, disclosing that a proposal would soon be tabled to its Nigeria shareholders to change its operating name in the country to TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc in line with the current realities.

The CSR Manager, Total Nigeria Plc, Mrs Chinwe Ifechigha, said the company had been carrying out various programmes to support Nigeria’s youth and children and would continue to do so going forward.

Ifechiga listed some of the programmes to include: Startupper Challenge, Skills Acquisition Programme, Scholarship Scheme and the Learn, Experience, Articulate and Decide (LEAD) programmes for students.

She said Total was also sponsoring 40 children annually in four SOS Villages in Nigeria and had executed several projects to better the lives of the children.

According to her, 54 youths from Koko, Delta State and 100 from Kaduna have so far benefited from the skills acquisition programme.

She also noted that they had been trained in areas such as welding and fabrication, furniture making, catering, computer studies and fish and crop farming.

Ifechiga noted that another 64 secondary school students were being given Total education sponsorship in Koko, Delta State annually as part of the company’s contribution to its host community.

She said the 2021/2022 Startupper Challenge, which would be the third edition would soon begin, stressing that it offers young Nigerians opportunities to transform their business ideas into reality.

Also speaking, Total’s Country Communications Manager, Mr Charles Ebereonwu, said the intervention of the private sector in national development could not be overemphasised.

He described Total’s CSR activities as a humanitarian gesture by the company to bring positive impact to the people of Nigeria.