NNPC, FIRST E&P deepen social investment with new grants

The NNPC Limited/FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) Joint Venture has moved beyond conventional one-off corporate grants, launching a multi-year funding model for high-performing Nigerian NGOs as it seeks to deepen the impact and sustainability of its social investments.

The new Impact FIRST: Heritage programme is designed to provide sustained financial and institutional support to NGOs that have demonstrated measurable impact, strong governance and the capacity to scale interventions addressing critical social challenges across Nigeria.

The initiative was unveiled at the inaugural Impact FIRST: Heritage Grant Presentation Ceremony held on August 12, 2026, in Ikoyi, Lagos, where five organisations were selected as the programme’s pioneer beneficiaries.

The shift marks a significant evolution of the JV’s social investment strategy, moving from annual funding cycles towards longer-term partnerships with organisations that have already demonstrated the ability to deliver measurable results.

Unlike the flagship Impact FIRST programme, launched in 2024 and structured to provide one-off grants to a wider pool of eligible NGOs, Impact FIRST: Heritage targets previous beneficiaries with proven institutional capacity and sustainable programmes.

Since its launch, Impact FIRST has supported 15 NGOs whose interventions have reached more than 20,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria.

The five inaugural beneficiaries of the Heritage programme are The IREDE Foundation, Asido Foundation, Cerebral Palsy Centre, Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS), and Health Emergency Initiative (HEI).

The organisations operate across critical areas including disability support, mental healthcare, emergency healthcare and eye care.

The IREDE Foundation provides prosthetic limbs and support services for children living with limb loss, while Asido Foundation focuses on the rehabilitation and reintegration of people living with severe mental health conditions.

The Cerebral Palsy Centre provides long-term care and support for people living with cerebral palsy. HANDS delivers eye-care interventions and sight-restoring surgeries to underserved communities, while HEI works to expand access to emergency healthcare and strengthen first-responder capacity.

Emmanuel Etomi, executive director, Corporate Services, FIRST E&P, said the Heritage programme represents an important progression in the JV’s social investment approach.

“By providing long-term support to organisations that have already demonstrated strong performance and measurable results, we are helping them scale their impact, strengthen their capacity, and create even greater value for the communities they serve,” he said.

The NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P JV’s decision to concentrate funding on organisations with established track records also reflects a growing emphasis on accountability and measurable outcomes in corporate social investment.

Olanrewaju Igandan, chief upstream investment officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), represented at the event by Usman Mohammed-Bello, Advisor, Community Relations, said the transition from annual corporate giving to a multi-year grant framework reflected a more strategic approach to social investment.

He described the initiative as “forward looking” and pledged NUIMS’ continued commitment to collaboration that supports social value creation and national development priorities.

For the beneficiary organisations, the longer-term funding model could provide greater certainty to plan programmes, strengthen institutional capacity and expand services to underserved populations.

Pascal Achunine, executive director of HEI, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, said the funding represented more than financial support.

“It is a vote of confidence in the work being done by organisations across the social sector to improve lives and strengthen communities,” he said.