Women In Energy Demands Gender Equity Policies

Women in Energy Network (WIEN) has demanded the incoming administration of the Federal Government to prioritise policies and programmes that dismantle prevailing gender bias and discrimination in the energy sector as a reliable way to harness the full human potentials in accelerating national development.
WIEN, which provides aegis for female investors, business owners, professionals and sundry workers in the energy sector declared at its 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) Breakfast Session that government must build a society that provides congenial environment for people to excel in their endeavors irrespective of gender.
In her presentation at the event, President of WIEN, Mrs Funmi Ogbue, proposed collaboration among policy drivers, regulators, industry leaders and organizations like WIEN to implement concrete solutions that dismantle all forms of bias and discrimination in the energy industry in particular and the country in general.
Organised in partnership with Women in Shell Network and Seplat Awesome Women’s Network, the event focused on “Programmes and Initiatives for Equitable Access for Women in the Nigerian Energy Industry”.
The session is part of a month-long activities lined up by WIEN to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations, with the theme: “Embrace Equity.”
With the activities, WIEN is driving harder on its advocacy for workplace gender balance and enhanced opportunity for women in the energy industry.
Mrs Ogbue noted that the “Call to embrace equity highlights the need to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities, resources, and rights regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors that can lead to inequality.
“Regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) can implement policies that promote gender equity and inclusion in the oil and gas industry. Armed with baseline data of gender inclusion, stakeholders can start to build a framework to achieving gender inclusion”, she proposed.
The International Energy Agency also states that only 22 percent of the global energy workforce are women, and they are underrepresented in technical and leadership roles.
Ogbue cited the Nigeria Energy Sector Report as stating that women make up only 20 percent of the energy sector workforce.
She also said a report by the African Development Bank (ADB) found that women in Nigeria’s energy sector face discrimination in recruitment, promotion, and pay, and are often excluded from decision-making processes.
“It is also crucial for men to become champions for women and advocate for their inclusion and advancement in the energy sector.
“Men in leadership positions must recognize the value of diversity and inclusion and take concrete steps to address biases and barriers.
“By taking concrete steps to address the barriers and biases that prevent women from fully participating in the energy industry, we can help to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s workforce and drive sustainable economic growth for all”, she stated.
She made it clear that it benefits the individual and the organisation when everyone is given equal opportunity to excel; citing a report by McKinsey & Company that found that companies with gender-diverse executive teams outperform their peers by 21 percent.
Speakers at the event included Chairperson of the IWD 2023 Programme at WIEN, and MD/CEO, PeakThrust Insurance Brokers Limited, Mrs. Abimbola Onakomaiya; Mrs Elohor Aiboni, Managing Director of SNEPCO; Group Executive Director, Sahara Energy, Mrs Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka; Director of New Energy, Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Effiong Okon; Chief Executive Officer, All On, Caroline Eboumbou; and Founder/Executive Vice Chairman, boys to MEN Foundation and Founding Member, WimBiz, Ifeoma I. Idigbe.
Others are: the Group Head, HR, Sahara Plc, Mrs Ivie Imasogie; Managing Director, Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Vice President, Power, WIEN, Folake Soetan; WIEN’s Director of Sponsorship, Mrs. Chioma Okpoechi, and other high-profile members of the WIEN.