L-R: Specialist, Energy Sector Policy and Regulation, African Development Bank, Dozie Okpalaobieri; Minister of State Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba, Managing Director /CEO Rural Electrification Agency, Damilola Ogunbiyi and Head Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project –AFDB, Kenny Anuwe during the Rural Electrification Energizing Education Programme female Stem Workshop in Lagos.
The Rural Electrification Agency, in its bid towards building young women in the energy sector, held its first female Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workshop in Lagos State.
The workshop was organised by the Agency in partnership with leading private sector developers, and was attended by power sector stakeholders and business professionals, with the aim of bringing together young women with top power sector and business professionals to share knowledge and discuss the opportunities for women in the industry.
The Energising Education Programme (EEP) is being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency to provide sustainable and clean power supply to 37 Federal Universities and seven University Teaching Hospitals across Nigeria.
The project creates an avenue for the training of 180 female STEM students, 20 from each benefitting university, during the construction phase of the project, which serves as a catalyst towards ensuring sustainability of the project and building young women for the future in renewable energy.
The Managing Director/CEO, Damilola Ogunbiyi, in her opening remarks stated: “This workshop is designed to facilitate the increase in leadership and development of professional women. It is also a platform for the 180 female students and professionals present to network, share their knowledge, discuss achievements and encourage the advancement of women across the energy sector.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba stated: “To the young women, who have participated in the STEM Internship Programme, I want you to know that gender and social exclusion will soon be a thing of the past. As a government, we are working to ensure that we mitigate the plight of women and promote equality and inclusiveness across all sectors.”
The final activity of the workshop was the Project Shark Tank competition between the participating universities, in which students of Bayero University, Kano emerged first and won a prize of N1M.
News source: https://guardian.ng/news/agency-holds-stem-workshop-for-young-women/