Denis Opudo
During #makethefuture Accelerator event which was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Ngozi, Deborah Atalor, a Shell Nigeria LiveWIRE entrepreneur, came out as a winner and she took home N1 million prize money that she intends to use in expanding her business. It seemed that 2017 was a year of luck for the entrepreneur since its apparently a month after she had won $5, 000 merit category prize in the Shell LiveWIRE top 10 innovators competition.
Shell LiveWIRE, top 10 innovators competition, is a worldwide completion that is opened to the recipient of Shell LiveWIRE and its meant to reward shinning cases of innovation in businesses supported by the program. The panel of judges got the chance of watching and listening to Atalor’s presentation on how to make sure that there is light in all homes in Nigeria and it was the most convincing and achievable plan. Deborah is the young Managing Director of De-Rahbs Energy Services, a firm that majors in solar panel construction, installation, and maintenance.
The judges were convinced to give her the award coming in front of Prince Ledee Basi and Ibiere Gilbert David who came at position two and three respectively. The two were able to take home N500, 000 each for their efforts appreciation. All the three are startups from the LiveWIRE entrepreneurial program meant for Niger Delta youths.The three majored in developing businesses that give energy solutions to customers in the Niger Delta and other regions.
David’s Ibdav Resources firm offers bio-fuel clean cookstoves and Basi’s Basiled Energy Ventures provides renewable energy, safety wears and efficient services on the use of the solar product. Apart from the cash prize, the three were able to be offered an opportunity to get coaching support from Co-creation Hub. The current energy transition is moving towards clean energy.
Nigeria wants to be on the global map for supporting the adoption of the clean energy that is environmental friendly usage. The #makethefuture campaign Accelerator has been used in Port Harcourt to offer a platform for upcoming entrepreneurs to share their ideas on how they can be part of offering power solutions this is according to Igo Well, the General Manager External Relations of the Shell Petroleum Development Company. LiveWIRE has been able to produce 6, 580 Niger Delta entrepreneurs from 2003.
