Rivers school to Represent Nigeria at TotalEnergies VIA Africa finals
Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
Government Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, Rivers State, has emerged winner of the 2026 VIA Safe Mobility for All Young People contest in Nigeria.
The school defeated eight other schools at the national finals held in Lagos on October 14, 2026, to clinch the top prize.
Army Day Secondary School, Asokoro, FCT, and Government Secondary School, Kurudu, Abuja, finished second and third, respectively.
The VIA Safe Mobility for All Young People initiative, established by the TotalEnergies Foundation, encourages schoolchildren to become ambassadors of safe mobility by creating artworks, composing songs and poems, and staging dramas that highlight road safety challenges in their communities and propose solutions.
The initiative aims to instil road safety habits in pupils, enabling them to navigate their environments safely during their daily commutes to school and other destinations.
The contest, sponsored by TotalEnergies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and partners, attracted 600 pupils, including five with disabilities, from 30 public secondary schools across three locations: the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Rivers State.
During the campaign, participants engaged in various road safety activities, including identifying mobility risks around their schools and communities, developing solutions and conducting awareness campaigns.
The Executive General Manager, Health, Safety, Environment and Quality, Mr Mike Iwegbu, who represented the Managing Director and Country Chair of TotalEnergies, Mr Matthieu Bouyer, said the company would continue to support initiatives that empower children to contribute to the development and safety of their communities.
Following their victory, Government Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, will represent Nigeria at the VIA Africa Finals on December 2, 2026.
Implemented across TotalEnergies’ affiliates, the VIA Safe Mobility for All Young People initiative is implemented in Nigeria by GreenLight Initiative, a non-profit organisation dedicated to road safety awareness and community mobilisation.
