Shell brightens faces of 30 Bayelsa youths with N12m entrepreneurship grants

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has presented a business support grant of N12 million to 30 participants of its youth entrepreneurship scheme.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Yenagoa on Thursday, Igo Weli, General Manager, SPDC, said that the company had so far empowered 6, 580 youths from the Niger Delta under the ‘LIVEWIRE’ entrepreneurship programme for youths between age 18 and 35.
Weli, who was represented by Kiri Obomanu, Head of GMoU Maturation Unit of SPDC, said that the beneficiaries had undergone training in essential business and entrepreneurship management.
According to him, 150 young entrepreneurs participated in the 2017 edition of the Shell LiveWIRE programme in the Niger Delta region.
He also said the scheme enables young people to start their own businesses and create employment, rather than seeking for elusive employment opportunities.
“It provides budding young entrepreneurs with access to the essential business knowledge and customised support they need to transform their enterprising ideas into a viable and sustainable business.
“LiveWIRE programme is targeted at young people between ages 18-35 to inspire, encourage and support them to start their own businesses or expand existing ones.
“We do this by providing them requisite training and start up finance. It is hoped that with legitimate alternative means of livelihood, our young men and women will turn their backs on vices,” he said.