OTL: WIEN takes gender equity case to policy debate platforms
Sopuruchi Onwuka
The Women in Energy Network (WIEN) has actively engaged industry leaders and regulators this week at the ongoing Africa Downstream Energy Week, part of the 2024 Oil and Trading Logistics (OTL) Expo, to advance its advocacy for gender equity within Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Alongside attending high-profile discussions, WIEN mounted an exhibition stand dedicated to promoting its diversity and inclusion goals, aiming to raise awareness and foster dialogue on the need for increased female representation in the sector’s leadership roles.
Executive Secretary of WIEN, Engr Asanimo Omezi, explains gender equity issues to ACE of NMDPRA, Engr Farouk Ahmed at the WIEN exhibition stand at OTL Expo 2024 in Lagos
At the expo, Engr. Asanimo Omezi, Executive Secretary of WIEN, highlighted the group’s commitment to ensuring that gender balance remains a top agenda item across Nigeria’s critical energy sector gatherings.
“WIEN is relentless in taking gender balance advocacy to major industry conferences, where we can establish meaningful connections with strategic stakeholders and convey our message to key audiences,” Omezi said.
She emphasized that by establishing a strong presence at influential events like the OTL Expo, WIEN can bring the case for gender equity directly to decision-makers in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
WIEN’s exhibition stand, which attracted industry professionals, regulators, and policymakers, showcased the organization’s ongoing initiatives and upcoming programs designed to support women’s advancement in the petroleum sector.
Visitors and more visitors as conference delegates seek information at the WIEN booth
Engr Omezi reiterated the importance of inclusive leadership structures in driving both innovation and sustainable growth. “Our industry is undergoing rapid transformation, and gender-diverse leadership is vital to meeting the sector’s evolving challenges,” she pointed out, stressing the urgent need for policies that foster women’s advancement.
The group’s proactive approach at the Africa Downstream Energy Week includes not only networking with industry captains but also engaging in open conversations with executives from regulatory bodies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Nigerian Midstream and Dowstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and corporate leaders. Discussions focused on creating a more inclusive leadership pipeline, addressing barriers that women face, and promoting gender-equity policies across public and private entities.
Executive Secretary of WIEN, Engr Asanimo Omezi (3rd right); MD KAD Energy Limited, Mrs Ifunaya Anyanwoke (2nd left); Manager Business & Project Development, Prado Power, Dr. Fatima Mohammed (2nd right); WIEN Research Assistant, Blessing Edet; and the group’s Collegiate Volunteers at OTL Expo 2024.
The participation of WIEN at the OTL Expo underscores its strategy of using prominent industry platforms to amplify its message and create pathways for collaboration.
Through such efforts, Engr Omezi explained, WIEN aims to drive lasting changes that ensure women in Nigeria’s energy sector have equal opportunities to contribute to industry leadership.
