The Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd. has empowered 215 youths with grants to enable them start and grow businesses across the Niger Delta.
The Vice-President, Relations and Sustainable Development, Renaissance Africa, Mr Igo Weli, disclosed this at the graduation and award ceremony for the beneficiaries held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Weli explained that out 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 described the large number of applications as evidence that the Niger Delta was not short of ideas or ambition, despite the economic difficulties confronting young people.
‘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 said.
He advised the beneficiaries to demonstrate discipline, patience and consistency, noting that entrepreneurship required commitment to achieve sustainable success.
Weli urged the entrepreneurs to focus on solving real problems, creating value, building customer trust and continuously improving their knowledge.
‘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 (NRiSE), a new enterprise development platform designed to build on the 22-year legacy of the company’s LiveWIRE programme.
Weli said LiveWIRE, under SPDC, trained about 11,000 young entrepreneurs across the Niger Delta and supported thousands of businesses that remained operational.
According to him, some beneficiaries had become employers of labour, suppliers, business partners and role models in their communities.
‘NRiSE is more than a change of name. It represents an enhanced enterprise development platform designed for emerging business realities,’ he said.
Weli said the initiative would provide mentorship, incubation, business advisory services, market linkages and stronger partnerships to help enterprises start, survive and grow.
He expressed confidence that the next generation of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders and job creators was already emerging from the Niger Delta.
The Acting Chief Upstream Investment Officer at NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Mr Olanrewaju Igandan, commended Renaissance Africa for continuing with the initiative.
He said the programme 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,’ he said.
Igandan urged the graduates to grow their businesses and create employment opportunities for other Nigerians.
He said what young entrepreneurs needed was opportunity, structure and sustained support to translate their potential into successful businesses.
‘This is precisely what the programme has provided, and this is what NRiSE, formerly known as LiveWIRE, will continue to provide,’ he said.
In her remarks, one of the beneficiaries, Ms Anita Ngere, Founder, Nebis Tech, said the programme gave her clarity, confidence and exposure to opportunities that accelerated her business.
Ngere said although she had started her business before joining the programme, the training enabled her to connect with people and explore new opportunities.
She said the seed funding helped her acquire some needed items, while the knowledge gained encouraged her to pursue grants and incubation opportunities.