WIEN reminds President Tinubu of Renewed Hope agenda on 35% women's inclusion

WIEN reminds President Tinubu of Renewed Hope agenda on 35% women’s inclusion

… deepens focus on Supernova Girl Scholarship program

….says gender should not matter in energy industry

Oredola Adeola

The Women in Energy Network (WIEN) has reminded President Bola Tinubu of his commitment to meet the 35 percent female representation in various sectors based on the Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasising that recent appointments into the Boards of Federal Agencies have not reflected diversity and inclusiveness.

Mrs. Eyono Fatayi-Williams, President WIEN made this observations on Saturday at the association’s 2023 Awards Night, held at WheatBaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to the her, President Tinubu committed himself to women inclusion in the Renewed Hope Agenda, and we will keep reminding him, especially in the renewable space.

Fatayi-Williams, on her part, pledged to create more opportunities for women to advance in the energy industry and strengthen the leadership of women already in the field.

Emphasising the importance of women’s inclusion in key leadership positions, the President of the Association stated that 35% of women’s inclusion is not just about ticking boxes.

Fatayi-Williams asserted that inclusiveness is about bringing professional women with exceptional qualities to the table to contribute their values and expertise in the critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

She said, “The 35% target is about creating opportunities for women to access all available opportunities. Women should be exposed to and celebrated for their exceptional achievements. ”

The former Nigeria LNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, emphasised that WIEN aims to create a platform for women to stand out and make a significant impact.

The WIEN President also stated that the key focus of her leadership of the association is to focus on creating more opportunities for women to rise in the ladders and strengthen those already in leadership.

According to her, “We will achieve this by making sure that we support women in their career choices, create opportunities for them, and offer them the opportunity and build their capacity to compete based on what they bring to the table.

She stated that attention will also be given to the WIEN Supernova Girl Scholarship program and Science Fair initiative to mobilize, inspire, and guide the girl children to take special interest in courses of study that will prepare them for great roles in the rapidly changing world.

The WIEN President said, “We are doing this to all our corporate sponsors, it is about creating awareness and demonstrating based on research that a diverse leadership board guarantees profitability.

She said, “The Supernova Initiative, aimed at providing scholarships for girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within the energy industry. It is focused on enhancing and expanding opportunities for girls in STEM.

“WIEN is encouraging different companies to endorse the initiative to create a wider pool of girls who can benefit from scholarships.

“WIEN is also creating Science and Mathematics clubs in primary and secondary schools to encourage interest in the energy industry and demonstrate support for women who choose to pursue careers in the field, ” Mrs Fatayi-Williams said.

The WIEN President further emphasized the importance of encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM, stating that “there is no reason why they shouldn’t be in school.”

She said, “We are committed to creating awareness and demonstrating, based on research, that a diverse leadership board is essential for profitability.

President therefore mentioned the need for the energy industry to make the workspace inclusive for women in the engineering sector.

Fatayi-Williams noted that young engineers in the energy sectors have raised concerns about the need for exploration and production energy companies to provide facilities such as changing rooms for them within operational areas, especially for those working offshore.

The WIEN President therefore promised to ensure that the conversation around inclusion and gender equality remains a top priority for oil and gas companies and those in the energy value chain.

She said, “The Nigerian energy industry is a big one and there is room for growth. We have been relating with cooperate organisations to reinforce the need for diversity and inclusiveness. WIEN has plugged into the global discourse on gender inequality and the need for gender diversity, and inclusivity.

“We are committed to making sure that we can together measure the progress and successes of women’s participation in their operation.

“In the spirit of unity and empowerment let us appreciate the bond that we have forged within this network.

“We are not merely an association, WIEN is an organisation that nurtures talents, fosters mentorship, and encourages the next generation of women to reach greater heights.

“Ours is a story of innovations and unwavering commitment to driving positive change. Together we apply our impact and make strides towards a more inclusive, diverse and prosperous energy landscape.

“We believe we can make a difference as a professional to ensure that more women. We will continue to achieve more progress until we are sure that more women have taken their rightful places. We will ensure that at least there is a feminine voice on every table saying the things that should be said and displaying excellence,” the WIEN President said.

According to her, the Nigerian energy industry is a big one and there is room for growth.

She therefore stated that WIEN has plugged into the global discourse on gender inequality and the need for gender diversity, and inclusivity.

She said, “We have been relating with corporate organisations to reinforce the need for diversity and inclusiveness.

“We are committed to making sure that we can together measure the progress and successes of women’s participation in their operation.

The President further revealed that the 2023 award night is dedicated to celebrating excellence, achievement, and the collective strides that we have made in fostering gender diversity and empowerment within the energy industry.

She said, “We are recognising the resilience, dedication, and innovation of women who have left indelible paths in the energy sector.

“It is also a reflection of our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and diverse energy landscape. The award ceremony stands as a testament to the incredible talent and excellence that is displayed and visible for us to see within our network.

Speaking further the President charged corporate organisations and government institutions to embrace diversity and inclusivity.

She said, “In the spirit of unity and empowerment let us appreciate the bond that we have forged within this network.

“We are not merely an association, WIEN is an organisation that nurtures talents, fosters mentorship, and encourages the next generation of women to reach greater heights.

Mrs Fatayi-Williams has also announced that over the next two years, WIEN will focus on deepening D&E advocacy and introducing more initiatives to reduce bias against women in the energy industry.

She also promised to challenge the unconscious bias that limits women in specific job functions and to equip women for technical roles, regardless of gender or biological cycles.

She said, “There has always been a bias against women in specific job functions. It is a bias that has existed as old as the world has existed. Automatically, there are certain jobs that we create in our minds for men and women.”

The President of WIEN highlighted the success of women in leadership positions in the energy sector and mentioned the need to break the bias and ensure equal opportunities for women in middle management and senior leadership positions.

She mentioned Aiboni Elohor, MD of SNEPCO, and Folorunsho Alakija as some of the women in the upstream doing a remarkable job. She added that some of the successful women in the energy sector have helped to enforce the truth that any job can be done by anybody, whether male or female.

The former emphasized that gender should not be a career-limiting factor and that women should be equipped to go into technical roles.

She also mentioned that their biological cycles should not be an issue, and nursing a baby should not serve as a condition to limit their career growth.

“Gender should not be a career-limiting factor. We will make sure that women retain their jobs irrespective of their biological transformation,” Fatayi-Williams said.