Inclusion of women in the global energy transition to low carbon fuels was the focal point at a brunch on African Women for the Energy Transition in Lagos at the weekend. The programme was organised by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
GIZ is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal Government and operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.
Participants were of the view that women inclusion would make the transition process a huge success.
They also noted that green hydrogen which required renewable energy would prompt African countries in the emerging global hydrogen market especially to Europe in the near decades.
The German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office is also part of the Global Hydrogen Diplomacy programme (H2 Diplo) funded by the German Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ.
The participants said, reports had shown that over 18 million jobs must be created to ensure the success of the energy transition from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy.
They noted that while over 50 per cent of the global population were females, only 32 per cent of women were working in the renewable energy sector according to data provided by the Women in Green Hydrogen.
Programme manager at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), Ruchi Soni, noted that energy transition was an important moment for the energy sector.
She said women and youths should be in the forefront of the transition being the most impacted.
A Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford Center for Carbon Storage, Dr Rita Okoroafor, who gave the keynote speech, introduced the hydrogen processes and added that tapping into hydrogen had a great part to play in the energy sector.
Okoroafor said: “there’s no just transition where we do not include the voice of women.”
She further urged African women to take advantage of opportunities in the academia while understanding the business and commercial activities of the global energy transition.
During a panel session, Ms Gina Lagunes, Head, German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office, said it was important to look into hydrogen now for global decarbonisation.
Lagunes said the demand for fossil fuel would eventually reduce and it was important for Nigeria to diversify its energy export.
“We have been talking about hydrogen for a long time. It has however become important now because around the world now, green hydrogen is what we need to reach the last mile of decarbonisation.
“It is important for energy importing countries to look into green hydrogen. Availability of green hydrogen will also attract investors to the country,” she said.
Chief executive officer, Adelaar Energy, Ms Grace Orife, also said the narrative was changing and there was need for Nigeria to exploit all available energy sources.
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