INTELS Nigeria Limited, the long-standing leader in oil and gas logistics, has strengthened its commitment to women’s economic empowerment with the graduation of 62 trainees from its 2025 Women Empowerment Project Scheme Synergy (WEPSS).
The graduation ceremony was held on Friday at the Rosa Volpi Women Development Centre located within the Federal Lighter Terminal at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone in Rivers State.
WEPSS, launched in 2013 as part of INTELS’ Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, was conceived to train 5,000 women in tailoring and fashion design over a 20-year period.
The scheme was expanded in 2017, gaining broader reach within the company’s host communities. Over the years, it has given thousands of women — many from low-income backgrounds — the skills, confidence, and resources to build viable businesses, improve household income, and contribute to local economic growth.
INTELS Managing Director, Mr Pasquale Fiore, described the initiative as a cornerstone of the company’s community partnership model.
Speaking at the event, he reiterated INTELS’ determination to ensure that women in and around its host communities are equipped with the tools to attain financial independence.
“We firmly believe that when women thrive, communities thrive,” he said. “Our vision for WEPSS has always been to do more than train; we want to create opportunities for lasting prosperity. That is why, in 2022, we enhanced the programme by awarding fully equipped shop facilities to the best graduates. It is a way of saying that excellence, hard work and commitment will always be recognised.”
Fiore added that he was encouraged by the success stories emerging from previous beneficiaries of the scheme.
“Many of our alumnae have now established flourishing businesses, some employing others and expanding beyond their initial expectations. Seeing their shops open, seeing them support their families, and seeing the confidence they now carry is testimony to what targeted empowerment can achieve,” he noted.
He praised the resilience of the trainees and affirmed that the top 15 graduates of the 2025 class would receive starter kits to help launch their enterprises.
WEPSS Project Coordinator, Nancy Freeborn, emphasised the wider social impact of the training scheme.
She noted that the programme has transformed the lives of many women in Rivers State, enabling them to become contributors to family welfare and community development rather than dependants.
Freeborn expressed deep appreciation to INTELS’ management for sustaining the programme for over a decade. She highlighted the company’s consistent investment in skill development, innovation, and industry relevance, including the introduction of the Train-the-Trainer Scheme and partnerships with the Fashion Experience Festival and Private Broadway Shows, platforms that offer students exposure to broader creative and commercial opportunities in the fashion industry.
At the event, the 2025 Best Graduating Trainee, Saraphina Jacob, received N2 million and a starter kit that included an industrial sewing machine and a steam iron. In her note of appreciation on behalf of the 2025 graduating beneficiaries, she thanked INTELS for “opening a door that many young women only dream of” and expressed her commitment to using the opportunity to build a sustainable fashion business that would “make the company and the community proud.”
The 2024 Best Graduating Trainee, Obarijima Lewa, was presented with the keys to a fully furnished and equipped shop to support the launch of her fashion design career. She also expressed heartfelt gratitude, stating that the gift has transformed her life and given her a platform beyond her imagination.
“INTELS has shown us that our dreams are valid, and I will work hard to justify this generous investment in my future,” one of the beneficiaries said.
Other outstanding graduates were also presented with starter kits to support their entrepreneurial journeys. The ceremony attracted stakeholders from the Oil and Gas Free Zone, government representatives and community leaders.
Beyond WEPSS, INTELS continues to play a major role in national development through its extensive community initiatives, which include infrastructure projects, scholarships, health programmes, and various vocational training schemes.
With more than four decades of operational excellence, INTELS has established itself as a global reference point for oil and gas logistics excellence in Africa, combining innovation, world-class infrastructure, and a strong culture of corporate responsibility.