Sopuruchi Onwuka

Operating companies and policy drivers in the Nigerian petroleum industry weekend reached a record-setting consensus on gender diversity, agreeing to provide equal opportunities for all qualified players.

The industry leaders comprising public sector players and commercial investors in the private sector agreed on the need for gender balancing in the spread of corporate leadership positions and access to all opportunities in the energy sector.

The Oracle Today reports that gender based bias in industry workplaces and skewing of opportunities away from qualified women form the major concerns of the Women in Energy Network (WIEN), Nigeria’s foremost gender equity advocacy group.

The group had taken an exhibition booth at NOGOF 2023 to drive its gender advocacy message deeper into the industry to reach not just the policy makers and major operating companies, but to also engage industry contractors, vendors, equipment manufacturers and sundry players in related industries.

Whereas the group provided its members as paper presenters and moderators to shape opinions and positions at the conference, the Executive Secretary, Mrs Asanimo Omezi, engaged visitors with massages and awareness fliers at the exhibition plaza.

In several panel discussions at the just concluded 2023 Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) held in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, government’s regulators and corporate captains took time to declare commitment to deliberately creating growth path for female employees and dismantling gender bias in award of industry contracts.

The 2023 NOGOF, hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), was organized by Jake Riley limited; and the Managing Director of the company, Mrs Funmi Ogbue, is also the President of WIEN.

Following commendations for the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Limited, Mrs Elohor Aiboni; and pointed demand by the Managing Director of Starz International Limited, Mrs Iroaghama Ogbeifun who moderated a leadership session at NOGOF, speakers at the conference which featured leaders of thriving operating companies in the industry declared commitment to deliberately pursue gender balancing in the corporate structure of their respective companies.

Also, the deal makers at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited also declared gender neutrality in consideration of bids at the industry’s joint qualification system on the Nigerian Petroleum Exchange (NIPEX).

It would be noted that the NNPC Limited leads the industry in Nigeria, wielding overriding powers in determination of capital and operating expenditure by commercial players who operate either joint venture or production sharing agreements with government.

The Nigeria Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS) represents the NNPC’s overriding equity interests in the joint ventures and the company’s position as concessionaire in all production sharing agreements operated by private companies.

Through the Nipex JQS, NUIMS maintains clear window on award of major contracts by operating companies, wilding influence in determination of winning bids.

Chief Operating Officer of NUIMS, Engr Bala Wunti, had pointed at Mrs Aiboni as the symbol of “women with energy,” emphasizing that the industry would henceforth dismantle gender bias in seeking services and solutions that would enable realization of prime national aspirations.

Mrs Aiboni whose company is currently working out development plans for a number of fields in the operated Bonga deepwater oil block is also a member of WIEN.

Engr Wunti who delivered a presentation on behalf of the company’s Executive Vice President in charge of Upstream, Engr Adokiye Tombomieye, emphasized that the Nigerian petroleum industry would continue to seek the best services and products as it seeks to domicile activities.

“Whether ‘women in energy’ or ‘women with energy,’” Engr Wunti said, the industry is ready to do business with every contractor that comes with solutions.

In another panel discussion on “Impact of Implementing ESG Standards on Local Content Development; What, When and How,” the General Manager in charge of Safety and Environment at Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mrs Elozino Olaniyan, stated that gender diversity has become a component of the industry governance process.

She cited the Shell example of deliberate balancing of management and leadership roles to reflect gender balance; adding that the process has propelled a number of well qualified and capable female leaders in the company, including Mrs Elohor Aiboni, who is the current Managing Director of SNEPCO.

Mr Alex Aghedo who is the Executive General Manager in charge of Contracts, Procurement and Nigeria Content at Total Energies EP Nigeria Limited also declared the company’s deliberate policy reserving corporate leadership positions for all genders.

Mr Aghedo stated that the gender diversity and equity have become part of entrenched governance policy in TotalEnergies Nigeria, noting that merging industry ESG compliance necessarily entails creating satisfactory sense of equality among all stakeholders.

The panel discussion on ESG was moderated by the Managing Director of Energy Training Centre, Mrs Ibiene Okeleke.

In a separate panel conversation among mainly members of the indigenous oil producers, the companies also committed to deliberately pursue gender balancing programmes in their corporate governance processes.

Propped by the Managing Director of Starz International Limited, Mrs Iroaghama Ogbeifun, the key figures of the Indigenous Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) admitted that they currently have no measures in place for promotion of gender balance in their corporate leadership structure. They all committed to installing internal governance structures that promote gender equity in considering staff positions and in award of contracts.

Mrs Iroaghama who moderated the second session on opportunity session on upstream opportunities told the conference delegates that women entrepreneurs and professionals in the industry are struggling for opportunity to make their best contributions to the development of the industry and the local economy.

She pointed at low level of female representation in the management committees and boards of corporate players in the industry, adding that women with good access to funding have now good access to contracts and operating licenses.

Mrs Ogbeifun cited the low utilization of the credit scheme launched for the diversity sectoral working group of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum as prime index of low female access to opportunities in the industry.

In responding to the call for enhanced gender diversity in corporate management and boards, contract awards and operating rights the IPPG members acknowledged the urgent need to address diversity concerns in the industry, pledging to initiate deliberate measures spread opportunities across the gender divide.

In speaking for the group, the Chief Operating Officer at First Hydrocarbon Nigeria Limited, Mr Boma Brown, said the indigenous firms were working out schemes of activities tat would utilize experienced workers and contractors, including women.

He pointed out however that the situation was not too bad, explaining that about 40 percent of workers at First Hydrocarbon are women.

Chief Executive Officer at Heirs Oil and Gas Limited, Osayame Igiehon, also declared that some 30 percent of the company’s workforce is female. He expressed the willingness of the company to deliberately pursue gender diversity as part of its governance process.

He made it clear that the management of the company would henceforth evolve a diversity focused process to support growth of women.

The delegate of the Nigerian Exploration and Production Limited at the event also stated that the management of the company would give consideration to driving a deliberate governance process that would promote growth opportunity for women. He however declared that there were not policies or practices currently discriminating against women.

In a separate chat with our correspondent, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote, emphasized the need to comply with the relevant section of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as enunciated by the United Nations in relation to empowerment of women and closure of prevailing opportunity gaps against women.

He stated that the NDMB, as a responsible government agency, would continue to plays its role in helping balance access to industry opportunities across the gender divide.