In observance of International Women Engineers Day, the Women Engineers in Oil and Gas (WEOG) in collaboration with Womenovate and Stalwart Communities Africa, Padup Africa, have called for increased female participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
This according to them will help to bridge the gender gap in the energy sector.
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is an annual global awareness campaign developed to celebrate the accomplishments of women in engineering and inspire younger generations.
The national external relations director for WEOG Nigeria, Hasiya Audu, said; “We celebrate women in engineering and we are taking this opportunity to reach out to girls in secondary schools because many women are making significant contributions in the engineering field, and it is essential for young girls to be a part of it, which WEOG is passionate about.”
She said the programme was to encourage females to pursue science-related courses to increase their representation in the engineering sector.
Audu said addressing marginalisation in certain areas and spaces, all begins in schools.
Against this backdrop, she said the organisation aims to engage girls in STEM and educate them about the importance of participating in the engineering field.
Addressing the challenges faced by women, Audu highlighted bias and stereotypes as major obstacles that need to be overcome, emphasizing that there are no courses exclusive to men. All courses are open to individuals of all genders.
Chief executive officer of Womenovate LLC, Motunrayo Opayinka, said the occasion provides an opportunity to encourage and showcase these women as leaders and role models for younger generations.
“We need to close the gender gap and increase female participation in STEM fields. We want to see young girls looking up and saying, ‘I want to be a woman in tech. I want to be an engineer.’
“Therefore, we are using this event as a means of advocacy to inspire and demonstrate what it means to work in this sector,” she said.
The lead serving director of Stalwart Communities Africa, Kate Pam Semlek, they chose to commemorate this day to express their appreciation for the women who have made significant contributions in the male-dominated industry, while also setting a standard for younger women and showing them that women excel in the engineering sector.
The following individuals were recognised as awardees during the occasion: the first female head of service of the Federation Engr. Ebelle Okeke; managing director/CEO of Contego Servo Limited Engr. Nnoli Akpedeye; executive director of Business Services at NNPC Energies Service Company (EnServ) Engr. Martina Uzoamaka Atuchi and others.
