• WIEN decries low opportunity for women-led businesses

Sopuruchi Onwuka

ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd. (EEPNL) has restated its commitment to supplier diversity, inclusive sourcing, and local capacity development within Nigeria’s energy sector.

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The company which hosted a networking session with suppliers and service providers in the Nigerian energy sector weekend declared that the “Meet the Member Buyer,” engagement is a deliberate and focused Supplier Diversity strategy.

The session brought together WEConnect International members and certified women-owned businesses operating across various segments of the energy value chain, aiming to broaden procurement access and strengthen collaboration.

The EEPNL “Meet the Member Buyer,” session came just days after the foremost gender equity advocate in the energy sector, Women in Energy Network (WIEN), decried poor patronage of women led businesses in the industry.

President Of WIEN, Mrs Eyono Fatai-Williams, had while leading some Directors of the group on a courtesy visit policy drivers in Abuja pointed out that despite women and women-led businesses are yet to have good opportunities to make contributions to industry growth.

Mrs Fatai-Williams lamented that despite sundry incentives floated by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to guarantee diversification of play in the industry, women are yet to have the job opportunity to optimize their capacity.

At the “Meet the Member Buyer,” program, the Executive Director in charge of Development at EEPNL, Etabuko Abirhire, emphasized that the Supplier Diversity Programme goes beyond policy to providing structured, practical pathways for capable women-owned enterprises to participate meaningfully in procurement opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

From left: Executive Director, Development, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Etabuko Abirhire; Senior Manager, Capacity Building, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board(NCDMB), Alexis Emelle; General Manager, Procurement and Nigerian Content Development, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Ikechukwu Ogbu, and Senior Supervisor, Strategy and Transformation Project, NCDMB, Dr. Zuwairat Asekome, during the ‘Meet the Member Buyer Session’ hosted by Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited(ExxonMobil) in collaboration with WEConnect International and held in Lagos.

He noted that fostering inclusion in a technically demanding and highly regulated industry requires intentional engagement, clarity on requirements, and direct trust-building interactions between buyers and suppliers to enhance capability, confidence, and competitiveness.

“At Esso, we believe strong partnerships drive sustainable progress. Our Supplier Diversity Programme underscores our focus on creating real opportunities for Nigerian businesses, especially women-owned enterprises that bring innovation, agility, and value to the energy industry,” he said.

He added that despite divestment from shallow-water assets by ExxonMobil affiliates, the company remains strongly invested in Nigeria’s deepwater operations at Erha and Usan, with growth plans spanning the near, mid, and long terms.

The initiative is designed to help women-owned businesses tap into emerging growth opportunities, build a more resilient and inclusive supply chain, and promote operational excellence, economic participation, and long-term value creation for communities and stakeholders.

Representing the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Alexis Emelle, Senior Manager, Capacity Building, reaffirmed the Board’s dedication to supporting women-owned businesses with access to funding, while highlighting the importance of capacity development, documentation, and readiness to meet industry standards.

During the interactive session, participants engaged directly with senior officials from EEPNL and the NCDMB on procurement processes, regulatory expectations, and growth pathways. Both organizations committed to reducing barriers that limit access to opportunities and financing for women entrepreneurs.

Through initiatives like the Supplier Diversity Programme, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd. continues to deepen supplier diversity in Nigeria’s business ecosystem, particularly for women-led enterprises striving to scale and integrate into the energy industry’s supply chain.