The Nigerian Women in Oil and Gas Conference 2022 (the “Conference”) hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) was held on Tuesday, 14th June 2022 at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria. The theme was, “Leveraging Opportunities for Women in the Oil and Gas Industry”. In attendance were notable figures in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria including His Excellency Timipre Sylva (Honorable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote (Executive Secretary, NCDMB), Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo (NNPC Board Chairperson), and Mrs. Alero Onosode (Chairperson Nigerian Content Consultation Forum Diversity Sectoral Working Group).
Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited (GACN) was represented by General Manager Corporate Services Omosigho Egbon, General Manager Operations Yetunde Odejobi, and Planning and Monitoring Officer Obiageli Anekwe who took advantage of the opportunity to discuss the ever-growing need for a wider diversity with regard to women’s inclusion in strategic positions in the oil and gas sector.
Amongst the number of matters deliberated during the Conference, were:
- Greater support of the women in organizations in terms of career progression and mentorship;
- Better accountability in leadership;
- Ensure the adoption of organizational tasks and targets and ensure monitoring to achieve greater representation;
- Ensure metrics to measure tasks and targets;
- Look into recruitment policies to ensure a fair percentage of women are invited to apply;
- Set up appraisals that are void of any form of bias in the system;
- Consider the inclusion of flexible working options as a means to stir up motivation;
- Adopt the mindset of equity and not equality;
- Adopt better transparency in pay to avoid disparities;
- Manage unconscious bias;
- Review organizational structure and culture;
- Put metrics in place to measure diversity and inclusion; and
- HR functions to hold Senior Management accountable to ensure policies are in place.
In addition to this, various stakeholders held panel discussions on;
- Women in Industry Governance;
- Safeguarding Gender Participation; and
- Growth Across Board.
These discussions also centered on building effective gender management systems, structures, and processes that promote development, diversity, and inclusion, harmonizing stem initiatives for greater impact, and finally, creating an enabling operating environment for women in oil and gas business; providing opportunities from the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
The participation was successful and GACN in show of support of the subject matter will continue to encourage diversity and equity in its work environment as well as noting some key take-home points to further deliberate in the organization.
