215 Niger Delta youths get grants after skills training

Oil firm, Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, has awarded grants to 215 youths in the Niger Delta to enable them start and grow various businesses.

The company’s Vice President, Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr Igo Weli, disclosed this at the graduation and award ceremony for the beneficiaries held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Weli said of the 21,000 applications the company received, 215 entrepreneurs emerged as top-performing beneficiaries after a rigorous selection process, training and business-plan development.

He said the large number of applications shows that the Niger Delta was not short of ideas or ambition, despite the economic difficulties confronting young people.

Weli added, “Thousands of young men and women across the region are developing ideas, identifying opportunities and seeking opportunities to build businesses.

“Consequently, this initiative is part of Renaissance Africa’s broader efforts to invest in people and promote sustainable development in the Niger Delta.”

He advised the beneficiaries to demonstrate discipline, patience and consistency, noting that entrepreneurship required commitment to achieve sustainable success.

Weli also urged the entrepreneurs to focus on solving real problems, creating value, building customer trust and continuously improving their knowledge.

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“Success is not measured only by how much money you make, but also by how many opportunities you create for others,” he said.

The event also witnessed the launch of the NNPC Renaissance Initiative for Sustainable Enterprise, a new enterprise development platform designed to build on the 22-year legacy of the company’s LiveWIRE programme.

Recall that Renaissance Africa acquired the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Joint Venture in March 2025, effectively bringing Shell’s onshore operations in Nigeria to an end.

Weli said LiveWIRE, under SPDC, trained about 11,000 young entrepreneurs across the Niger Delta and supported thousands of businesses that remained operational.

He said some beneficiaries had become employers of labour, suppliers, business partners and role models in their communities.

The acting Chief Upstream Investment Officer at NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Mr Olanrewaju Igandan, noted that the programme has provided the graduates with more than certificates, equipping them with tools and knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs.

“What you take away from this room today is just more than a certificate. What you take away is empowerment,” Igandan said.

He said what young entrepreneurs needed was opportunity, structure and sustained support to translate their potential into successful businesses.