The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) on Sunday said it has cumulatively created 7,913 entrepreneurs in its youth enterprise development programme for Niger Delta youths from 2003 till date.
This was contained in a statement by
Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, SPDC Media Relations Manager and made available in
Yenagoa.
According to the statement, 117 young
entrepreneurs from the Niger Delta have graduated from the Shell Nigeria LiveWIRE
programme and have been awarded a N48m grant to either establish or expand
their businesses.
The statement quoted Igo Weli, Shell’s
Country Head of Corporate Relations, restating the commitment of SPDC to the
development of Niger Delta youths during a graduating ceremony held in Port
Harcourt on Friday.
According to him, SPDC has been
providing the youths with 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 universities 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.
Udoh stated that 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.
“It was instrumental to using the limited resources to improvise and implement
a plan that has led me to making profit.”
Executive Director, Centre for
Information and Development of SPDC, Mrs. Belema Ogbuigwe, inducted the new
graduates into the Shell LiveWire Alumni group, which further enables the young
entrepreneurs to enjoy mentorship from previous beneficiaries.
SPDC recalled that in the last 10
years, five Shell Nigeria LiveWIRE beneficiaries have won the LiveWIRE
International “Go and Trade Enterprise Linkage Award” which enabled them to
make international trade visits to the United Kingdom, the United Arab
Emirates, and Ghana.
The oil and gas firm stated that
LiveWIRE beneficiaries were also able to join thousands of young entrepreneurs
from all over the world who compete for the Global Shell LiveWIRE Top Ten
Innovators Award which comes with huge benefits and rewards.
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