WIEN, energy industry execs commit to stronger DEI push
Sopuruchi Onwuka
Business leaders and elite professionals on Thursday restated their resolve to continue driving strong advocacy for gender balance in the African energy industry, and also create fair opportunities that enable female professionals grow into the leadership positions in the sector.
The resolutions at the diversity workshop which concluded the 2025 edition of the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exposition and Conference (SAIPEC) included using the abundant female capacity in the country to fill in the yawning talent gaps that have beset the industry.
The forum also demanded government, industry leaders and organizations to set clear diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals and policies that support women’s participation across the energy value chain, allocate more funding opportunities for women-owned energy businesses, and sponsor scholarship and mentorship programs for next generation of female energy leaders.
The Oracle Today reports that the double session diversity workshop hosted in Lagos weekend also produced a resolve by delegates to enlist the role of male sponsors and mentors in dismantling stereotypes and sundry biases that translate to career roadblocks for qualified female professionals in the energy sector.
Just like in much of Nigerian society, gender inequality in Nigeria’s energy leadership continues to inflict negative impacts on women’s advancement towards industry leadership positions. Whereas the need for gender balance in the leadership of the energy industry is a global advocacy subject, the depth of disparity in the African continent is exacerbated by traditional, cultural and religious stereotypes that condition women for home-keeping and catering roles right from homes.
The diversity workshop is powered by the leading gender equity advocate in the country, Women in Energy Network (WIEN), whose members lead the charge in addressing gender disparity in the Nigerian energy sector.
At the diversity workshop on Thursday, delegates and panel discussants from Africa and Europe agreed that breaking the jinx of gender stereotypes and leveraging the capacity of women to optimize efficiency in the leadership of government and corporate boards has become very urgent.
In her keynote speech, President of WIEN, Mrs Eyono Fatai-Williams, stressed the role of women engineers, executives, policymakers and entrepreneurs in shaping the future of energy around the globe. She made it clear that diversity, equity, and inclusion have become fundamental to economic growth, innovation, and business success in today’s world.
In the speech delivered on her behalf by the Executive Secretary of WIEN, Engr Asanimo Omezi, the president pointed at the collective responsibility of all players in the industry to harness the full potential of men and women in shaping the future of Africa’s energy industry. She stressed the need to build a stronger, more innovative, more inclusive and more sustainable energy industry.
She pointed out that African women have the capacity to make immense contributions in building a strong and vibrant energy industry that would propel the socio-economic growth of the continent.
“African women in particular, are breaking barriers and redefining the energy landscape,” she said, adding that “we have witnessed firsthand how women-led initiatives are making a tangible impact.”
“These women are an affirmation that excellence knows no gender. Across oil and gas, renewables, and emerging energy solutions, they are leading groundbreaking projects, advocating for sustainable policies, promoting clean cooking solutions in underserved communities, and mentoring the next generation of women in STEM.
“These successes demonstrate that when women are empowered, communities and economies thrive. Women offer so much when it comes to advancements in technology, sustainability, and economic development, to be neglected,” Mrs Fatai-Williams told delegates.
In making a business case of gender equity in the industry, Mrs Fatai-Williams said that embracing gender diversity would help corporate and government institutions optimize the capacity of female professionals in delivering clear mandates that are set out for the industry.
According to her, “companies who embrace diversity outperform their competitors in profitability, innovation, and sustainability.”
She pointed at a recent study by McKinsey & Company on diversity and inclusion which showed that diverse executive teams are more likely to generate above-average profits, “and organizations with inclusive cultures experience higher employee engagement and retention, crucial in an industry facing a skilled labor shortage.”
She however lamented that despite all the glaring advantages of gender balance and inclusivity, “significant gaps still remain in representation, funding, and access to technical roles.”
She told delegates that “there is more work to be done.”
“Women still represent less than 20% of the global energy workforce, and the numbers are even lower in technical and leadership roles. Gender biases still exist in hiring and promotions, limiting career growth and entrepreneurial opportunities for women,” she noted.
In clarifying that DEI does not entail patronage and low standards, Mrs Fatai-Williams stressed that gender equity “is ensuring that qualified women have equal access to opportunities,” adding that “Africa’s urgent need for energy transition demands diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, and inclusive policies that tap into the full spectrum of talent available in the region.”
In calling for action, she stated that the industry must take deliberate, measurable actions to build a truly inclusive and thriving energy industry.
“The government, industry leaders and organizations must set clear DEI goals and policies that support women’s participation across the energy value chain, including quotas for women in leadership and technical roles in the workforce, and gender-sensitive procurement policies, ensuring that women-owned businesses have access to major contracts.
“More funding opportunities must be created for women-owned energy businesses, including grants, low-interest loans, and venture capital support.
“Scholarship and mentorship programs must be scaled up to equip the next generation of female energy leaders.
“We must also build stronger networks for women in energy, creating safe spaces for mentorship, collaboration, and peer support.
“We must hold ourselves accountable when it comes to tackling gender disparity and confront our unconscious bias in the workplace as well as in our homes,” she demanded.
Mrs Fatai-Williams also called on male players in the industry to immediately become allies in advocating for gender-inclusive policies, pointing out that building a sustainable energy industry is collective responsibility.
In panel discussions that followed her speech, delegates attributed gender gap in the African energy industry to cultures that prioritize men for senior leadership positions and condone underrepresentation of women in key sectors.
They acknowledged that the advocacy messages of WIEN has deeply penetrated the industry and generated responses at the leadership level of companies and government agencies.
Mrs Lilian Oluchi Somiari of TotalEnergies stated that the company is responding to diversity, equity and inclusion in a structured manner; explaining that targets have been set for diversity at recruitment level to guarantee balanced entry opportunities.
Responsibility for meeting the targets, she said, has been escalated to the table of Country Chairman of the company in Nigeria.
She added that women in technical duties at TotalEnergies are exposed to site experiences early in their careers with the company. In ruling out compromises in standards, she also confirmed that female employees of the company have all proved to be efficient and diligent in delivering on their roles.
Lilian however regretted that biases and stereotypes still manifest from the long impact of culture on the social perception of the role of women.
Mrs Chioma Okpoechi of Shell also said that the company has become the most diverse energy firm in the world, with women leading key business units of the company. She said Shell has adopted DEI as a global business priority.
According to her, significant 35 percent of 1,400 workers of the company is expected to be women by end of the year. She added that the proportion would rise to 40 percent by 2035.
On DEI profile of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, Dr Sophia Horsfall testified that the company has incorporated diversity in its policies, practices and processes.
According to Dr Horsfall, the NLNG understands that sustainable future of the energy industry must include every section and every gender. She added that the NLNG which is also operated by Shell has set recruitment targets for DEI, with mandatory vacancy advertorial messages specifically encouraging women to apply.
She added that key performance indicators for DEI remain active at NLNG to ensure that the set goals on diversity continue to improve on existing 25 percent female quotient of the executive management positions.
Dr Sophia called on everyone to take up roles in tracking and evaluating DEI by ensuring that existing gaps are closed with existing potentials.
Sophia also stressed that stereotypes affecting the confidence of young women to venture in technical education and training could be addressed by means of social re-conditioning. She warned that companies that do not embrace DEI are indirectly perpetuating discrimination and social stereotypes.
Ms Camy Tobe from The Gambia observed that African energy companies are nowhere close to what the international energy companies are doing on DEI. She stated that the rate of change in the gender composition of the industry calls for greater effort, noting that no serious action for equity was happening.
At the current rate of industry response to gender imbalance, she warned, it would take over 140 years to achieve gender equity in African energy industry. “When you are privileged, equity becomes oppressing,” she noted.
She called on men to assist in setting DEI goals and demanding equity for women, adding that women should also ask questions when secured commitments are not translating to results.
On cultural stereotypes, Ms Camy pointed at the power of homes to drive action for change.
In her own, Mrs Chinwe Iloh of AOS Orwell stated that company was still evolving its DEI principles and commitments, adding that low talent pool was impacting the ambition of the company to achieve gender balance at top management levels.
Whereas the panel debaters agreed that significant progress has been achieved in the gender equity campaigns led by WIEN, they pointed at the deep gaps in the representation of women. They resolved to press on with strident campaigns to ameliorate the situation.
