The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is strengthening education and closing the gender gap in science and technology by equipping young girls with essential skills for the modern world, according to its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
Ogbuku made this known at the closing ceremony of the Girl Child Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) competition in Port Harcourt. The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Monday by NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Represented by the NDDC Director of Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Awele Chukwudifu, Ogbuku emphasized the commission’s commitment to both infrastructural and human capital development. He noted that the STEM initiative is designed to foster scientific and technological advancement among young girls in the Niger Delta region.
“This competition has provided young girls with essential technological skills for the future,” he said. “We appreciate the NDDC Board and Management for their continuous support in advancing education in the region.”
Also speaking at the event, Prof. Continue Eletu, representing the Director of the Rivers State Office, reaffirmed that the initiative aligns with NDDC’s goal of advancing human capital development.
“The administration led by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku is dedicated to empowering girls in the Niger Delta by creating opportunities for them in STEM fields,” Eletu stated. “This competition has provided students with a platform to excel in mathematics, engineering, and science—key areas for innovation and societal progress.”
The competition, which featured participants from the nine Niger Delta states, aimed to nurture future leaders in STEM. Eletu also highlighted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“When you train a girl, you train a nation,” he said. “Investing in the girl child means shaping the future of our society.”
Chief Godson Ideozu, the event’s Lead Consultant, described the competition as the grand finale of a rigorous selection process across the Niger Delta. He noted that the next phase of the initiative would involve mentorship programs to sustain the participants’ interest in STEM.
“This program identifies and nurtures young talent from an early stage. Just like the NDDC’s Postgraduate Foreign Scholarship Programme, it is designed to build human capacity in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science,” Ideozu explained.
The event’s highlight was the presentation of awards to the top-performing students, with Miss Jegede Osamagbe emerging as the overall winner. Expressing her gratitude, Osamagbe thanked the NDDC for providing a platform that nurtures and empowers young girls in STEM.
“I appreciate the NDDC for giving girls the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete at this level,” she said. “To every young girl out there—if you can imagine it, you can achieve it.”
