LiveWIRE

LiveWIRE Nigeria is a youth enterprise development programme supported by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC). The programme operates in the Niger Delta region and aims to inspire, encourage and support young people aged 18-30 to start up their own businesses in the Nigerian states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Akwa-Ibom.

Each year, Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria provides training and finance for young entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta to set up and grow their businesses. Shell LiveWIRE is a social investment programme that aims to help young Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 35 explore the option of starting their own business as a viable career option and thereby create employment. 

Background:

Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria is the flagship of our youth enterprise development programmes. The initiative was launched in Nigeria on March 27, 2003, to provide access to entrepreneurship training, business development services as well as business start-up capital for youth-owned businesses. The programme also provides opportunity for beneficiaries to access fund from financial institutions. To date, 6,580 youths have been trained and 3373 have received business start-up grants. Most of whom are now employers of labour.

Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria provides opportunities for young people to realise their potentials through the creation and development of their own businesses.

What is LiveWIRE?

LiveWIRE Nigeria is a youth enterprise development programme supported by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC). The programme operates in the Niger Delta region and aims to inspire, encourage and support young people aged 18-30 to start up their own businesses in the Nigerian states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Akwa-Ibom.

Success stories

LiveWIRE Nigeria beneficiaries have gone on to further excel. Two won the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Entrepreneurship Award. Another two beneficiaries won the LiveWIRE International “Go and Trade Enterprise Linkage Award” (2010) which enabled them make international trade visits to London, UK and Dubai, UAE.

Programme Objectives

The objectives for the LiveWIRE Programme in Nigeria are to;

  • Provide intensive entrepreneurship training
  • Raise business awareness amongst final year university students to encourage them to see starting a business as a valid career option.
  • Support youths to discover and develop business 'ideas' through Bright Ideas workshops.
  • Make available to youths, business planning and management guidelines and skills through the ‘Become A Successful Owner Manager Course’ (BSOM).
  • Provide business start-up grant for candidates with the best business plan
  • Run awards for best business plans, of which the prize gives access to micro-credit facilities, through third parties like banks, NGOs and allied financial institutions.
  • Support young entrepreneurs to formalise their businesses 
  • Run an award for young people who have sustained a business for 1 to 3 years and continue the award on an annual basis.
  • Provide a volunteer mentoring programme for those who have completed the training course and decide to pursue starting their own business. Mentors can be drawn from oil and gas, banking, social voluntary sectors, etc.
  • Provide opportunity for young people to participate in global award programmes
  • Provides automatic membership of LiveWIRE alumni

Programme Content

  • Bright Ideas and Become a Successful Business Owner Manager (BSOM) workshops:
    These are run for groups of young people to stimulate exchange of ideas, encourage good planning for the most viable business idea, and to facilitate a good foundation on which to start businesses. At the end of the Bright Ideas workshops, outstanding participants are encouraged to complete the BSOM training workshop for opportunities for awards and/or micro-credit through partner organisations for business start-up.
  • Business Awareness Forum:
    This forum provides a basic introduction to enterprise for young people as they prepare to graduate from universities. Potential business owners identified through this forum will be assisted further through a short BSOM course.
  • Young Business Leaders Awards:
    A prestigious cash awards programme for young owner managers who have been in business for up to 1 year and can demonstrate significant (best) progress in the areas of production/service, financial growth, employment opportunities generation, and improvements in management strategies. These awards are expected to help these young people to further grow and/or diversify their businesses.
  • Business Information and Enquiry Service:
    By providing Business Opportunities Profiles (BOPs), young people are introduced to the requirements for starting a particular business in terms of; capital, legal, technical and human resources, and the market opportunities that exist for such a business.

How to Participate?

The LiveWIRE programme is widely advertised - intending participants / beneficiaries should watch out for the adverts in local newspapers, handbills, posters and on the website www.shellnigeria.com/liveWIRE

Funding/Partnering

On the Global level, the LiveWIRE programme is funded by Shell, local companies, government and individuals that are interested in youth development. At present, the Nigeria programme is supported by the SPDC JV (NNPC/SPDC/TEPNG/Agip)  and Shell International although efforts are being made to involve other local companies and government to support the activities of LiveWIRE in Nigeria.

Philanthropists - Participating as a philanthropists

A philanthropist or someone interested in helping the youth become self employed, may want to fund the programme in his/her community, church or Local Government Area (LGA).

Partnerships - Participating as a partner

  • Corporate organisations - A corporate organisation may want to fund this programme in its host community as part of corporate social responsibility.
  • Government - There is enough opportunity to fund the LiveWIRE programme at Local and State levels.

Contributors shall be appropriately acknowledged in all the training documents and banners produced. Also, the beneficiaries are selected from specific areas of interest to the contributors. i.e. communities, LGA, etc. In some of the cases above, SPDC is willing to co-fund the programme especially if within the company's operational area.

Contact Details

The Programme Manager,

LiveWIRE Nigeria,

Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited (SPDC)

Phone- 08070322234