By Adewale Sanyaolu
As part of efforts to encourage self reliance, Shell Nigeria LiveWire has awarded a N48 million grant to 117 young entrepreneurs from the Niger Delta.
The 117 entrepreneurs recently graduated from the Shell Nigeria LiveWire programme and have been awarded the grant to either establish or expand their businesses.
This brings to 7,913 the total number of beneficiaries of the youth enterprise development programme since inception in 2003.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Shell’s Country Head of Corporate Relations, Igo Weli, restated the commitment of SPDC to the development of Niger Delta youths and providing them alternative livelihood opportunities through LiveWIRE and other empowerment programmes in the wider social investment portfolio of the company.
Weli said: “This is one opportunity to set you on the path of self-reliance and to be employers of labour as we have seen with previous beneficiaries of the programme many of whom are now employers with several others, having also taken up the opportunity to play in SPDC’s supply chain as vendors.”
Explaining the criteria for the selection of the beneficiaries from across the Niger Delta, SPDC’s Social Performance and Social Investment Manager, Dr. Gloria Udoh, said the selection was from a pool of graduates from university or its equivalent who have credible business ideas and were able to produce a business plan.
“The 117 beneficiaries were selected from a large pool of participants who went through the entrepreneurship training; wrote their business plans and successfully pitched their business ideas. The expectation is that they will be able to successfully establish or expand their businesses and also enjoy the many linkage opportunities offered by SPDC,” Udoh said.
Previous beneficiaries, who now run successful businesses, also inspired the graduates with their own stories towards success. Yolo Bakumor Smith, the Chief Executive Officer of De-Rabacon Plastics, described the training as priceless.