LiveWIRE Nigeria is a youth enterprise development programme supported by Shell in the Niger Delta region. The programme offers the following services: Business ideas generation workshops; the Become a Successful Owner Manager course which provides the skills necessary to successfully manage and run a business enterprise; financial support in the form of seed capital is provided to successful candidates to enable them start up their business; mentoring and business counselling services; and, business information resource centres.LiveWIRE was launched in Nigeria in 2003 with funding from Shell International and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), operators of NNPC/Shell/TotalfinaElf/Agip Joint Venture. The programme is run by the Community Development Foundation (CDF), a Nigerian NGO.

LiveWIRE encourages and supports young people aged 18-30 to set up their own businesses and work for themselves in the Nigerian States of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Akwa-Ibom.

LiveWIRE provides the following support:

1.    Training / Capacity Building:

a.    Attitudinal re-orientation for young people

b.    Identification of viable business opportunities

c.    Enterprise management training

2.    Business Start Up Awards

3.    Mentoring and Business Counselling support

4.    Business Information Resource Centers: These are places where business information is displayed and is accessible to the general public free of charge.

Since 2003, LiveWIRE in Nigeria has:

•         Delivered enterprise training to 2,004 young people which has led to a strong positive influence in youth entrepreneurial re-orientation across the region.

•         Backed 263 young people with financial support to start up their businesses. 175 new businesses have been created and 80 existing businesses assisted with expansion.

•         Provided a springboard for success. A LiveWIRE beneficiary, Ngozi Nwankwo, proprietress of GIA Bridals, received a National award as a Micro Entrepreneur in 2007. Another LiveWIRE beneficiary was a runner up in 2006.

•         Created opportunities for enhanced incomes, improved standards of living and greater self-esteem for young people across the region.

i: www.livewire-nigeria.org