NHPC rewards best learners with scholarships worth over 30MFCFA.

The scholarships worth over 30 million FCFA was distributed to some 77 outstanding students and pupils from the project area in Lekie Division of the Centre Region.

The ceremony organised in Batchenga was chaired by the Managing Director of NHPC, Claire Gall. This was in the presence of administrative, municipal and traditional authorities of the area. Parents and teachers also marked their presence. 

Out of a total 77 learners rewarded for their academic results, ten received university scholarships worth 2 million FCFA each, a laptop and coverage of their boarding, travel and meal expenses for three years.
The 67 others equally received an excellence prize of 150,000 FCFA each, including 100,000 FCFA in cash and 50,000 FCFA in school supplies vouchers.

Speaking during the event, the NHPC Managing Director pointed that the scholarships awarded is to recognise academic excellence of the previous school year and as well provide educational support to the meritorious students in the current school year. 

She also emphasised that the initiative is part of NHPC's Academic Excellence Programme launched in October 2023.

With more than 160 pupils and students haven already benefited, Gall said the initiative demonstrates the company's ongoing commitment to promote quality education and encourage academic excellence within the communities surrounding the Nachtigal project.

“This initiative programme is perfectly in line with the corporate social responsibility of NHPC as promoting education is one of the pillars of development,” she told The Guardian Post. 

She affirmed that the award of the scholarship comes barely over a month after the company constructed and equipped some 16 classrooms and toilets for communities around the project in accordance to their pledge of making education accessible to all in the area and contributing to impacting the future leaders of the country. 

“We started it two years ago in October 2023 and we intend to continue this scholarship program to promote accessibility,” she confirmed. 

Administrators laud NHPC

The Representative of the Senior Divisional Officer of Lekie, Patrick Simou Kamsu, said the initiative which is in its third edition, has already impacted about 200 Cameroonians from public to private schools and from primary to secondary schools. 

Learners from socially vulnerable groups in the project area have also been benefiting from the programme. 

“How can we not lend and welcome with pride this saving initiative that comes to relieve some households, as we all know the difficulties that some parents have to send their children to school and even more to buy school supplies,” he said.

The SDO’s representative also remarked that through its actions, NHPC has shown that it is not only a company concerned with making profits, but much more of a citizen company concerned with the development and well-being of the population.

While expressing the wish to see the continuity of the programme, the administrator urged the recipients and their parents to good use of the prizes.

Similar words of appreciation to the NHPC and encouragement to the student community had earlier been sounded by the representative of the Mayor of Batchenga.

Beneficiaries express gratitude

Several beneficiaries of the NHPC scholarships, who talked to The Guardian Post, expressed joy of being recognised for their academic excellence. 

Mbezele Metila Elisabeth, a Form 3 student (Quatrième Allemand) at Government Secondary School Nkolmelen, said the scholarship comes to relief her family from the high financial commitment for her studies.

“The scholarship I have just received here will enable me to buy my school supplies for next year and for my parents, it will enable them to continue to enrol me in school,” she said.  

Etoga Ekoudi Joseph, Lower Sixth student from Diligent Bilingual College in Batchenga, is another recipient

“I'm very happy to have this scholarship. It will help me to further my education,” he said.  

It should be recalled that NHPC, whose 15% share is owned by the State of Cameroon, operates the Nachtigal hydroelectric power plant with an installed capacity of 420 MW, representing approximately 30% of Cameroon's electricity needs. 

The plant was fully commissioned in May 2025 and had a cumulative production of more than 2TWh at the end of September 2025. 

With its green, available and competitive electricity, NHPC has now become one of the main actors in Cameroon's electricity system and contributes to the country's sustainable development.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3627 of Monday November 17, 2025