Presco Plc and SIAT Academy celebrate first cohort of graduate trainees

Presco Plc, Nigeria’s leading fully integrated agro-industrial company and a member of SIAT Group, has celebrated the graduation of 33 young professionals from the inaugural SIAT Academy Graduate Trainee Programme. At the graduation ceremony in Benin City, the company also announced an expanded second cohort of 70 trainees, representing a 40% increase in intake and reinforcing its commitment to developing future leaders in agribusiness.

Established in 2025, SIAT Academy is a strategic training and development platform designed to strengthen technical, professional and leadership capabilities across SIAT Group and the wider palm oil industry. Its one-year Graduate Trainee Programme combines classroom learning, practical experience and mentorship, with training opportunities across the Group’s operations in Edo, Delta and Rivers States, as well as Ghana.

The inaugural cohort welcomed 50 graduates in July and September 2025. Following a year of structured training, practical assignments and performance assessments, 33 participants successfully completed the programme. They will now progress to the Management Trainee Programme, taking on greater responsibilities as they develop towards future management roles.

Speaking at the ceremony, Adewale Arikawe, Group Chief Executive Officer, emphasised the importance of investing in people alongside the Group’s expansion.

“Our growth ambitions require us to invest as deliberately in people as we do in plantations, factories, technology and markets. The graduation of our first cohort is an important milestone in building the talent pipeline needed to support our future. These young professionals have completed the first stage of their development, and we are committed to supporting their continued growth. Our ambition is not simply to build a bigger SIAT, but to develop the people who will build and lead it. The expansion of our second cohort to 70 trainees demonstrates that commitment.”

Reinout Impens, Director of SIAT Academy, highlighted the programme’s focus on practical experience and performance-based progression.

“We began with 50 young graduates, exposing them to real operations, workplace responsibilities and clear performance expectations. Today, 33 have demonstrated their readiness to progress to the next stage. Their graduation marks an important step towards greater professional and management responsibility. With 70 new trainees joining our second cohort, we are building on this foundation to develop the capabilities needed to support the Group’s strategic ambitions.”

Reflecting on his experience, Michael Omi, a graduate of the inaugural cohort, described how the programme strengthened his understanding of industrial operations and plant maintenance.

“Before joining SIAT, I knew very little about the agro-industrial sector. The programme has given me valuable technical experienceand a deeper understanding of how the industry operates. Progressing to the Management Trainee Programme is an exciting opportunity to build on that experience and pursue my ambition of combining engineering expertise with business management.”

The ceremony brought together senior leadership, Academy representatives and trainees to celebrate the graduates’ achievements and recognise outstanding performance and project delivery.

The SIAT Academy programme also aligns with Nigeria’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022–2027 and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly quality education, decent work and sustainable industrial development.

Through the Academy, Presco and SIAT Group continue to invest in the skills, expertise and leadership capabilities needed to support their long-term growth and strengthen Africa’s agro-industrial workforce