Power women of African oil

Globally the oil and gas industry is overly-dominated by men. However, in Nigeria a handful of women are staggering ahead to make a change. Nigeria is the 14th largest oil producing country, who has taken on steps to open its oil industry to the locals; a policy known as ‘indigenisation’.

This handful of individuals is hoping to use this policy, to increase women’s stake in the industry. The power of women in Nigeria has grown very successively, with two top cabinet positions being held by women. Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been a powerful role model to these women:

The fact that two of the biggest cabinet positions in Nigeria, petroleum and finance, are held by women, show how far we have come."

We are there not because we are women. We are there because of our competence as managers."

Whilst these striving women are pushing for change in Nigeria, surveys still show that woman are a minority in the world’s oil and gas companies, with only 11% being female directors, most of them without non-executive positions and only 1% of executive board seats held by women.

Dr Jadesimi, managing director of oil giant Ladol, says that today "women are taken for granted, that of course a woman can reach the highest levels of society". Ladol has achieved great things in recent years; they have reclaimed a swamp and industrial waste site, and have converted it into a port facility to support offshore drilling operations, including ship repair, maintenance, engineering and construction. The company is planning to expand, something nobody has done in the whole of West Africa.

Woman like Catherine Uju Ifejika who is chairmen and chief executive of the Britannia U Group, has pushed her business to high lengths, and in six years has formed seven companies. She has said how 70% of her staff are male and there not used to having a woman, especially from a minority being at the top table. These women success shows that there is chance for women to get executive jobs.

Winihin Ayuli-Jemide a leading advocate on the research of women in business and local government argues that the reason why South Africa has been the leading economy in the continent was due to the women there being deeply rooted into business from all sizes. She wants to encourage women in Nigeria to think big, and invest in areas such as gas and oil.

Chief executive of a Lagos based Financing firm, Yewande Sadiku, argues women tend to get quite small loans just enough to run a small business and feed their families. Studies and research by McKinsey shows that female executives show stronger financial performance and tend to show certain leadership behaviour more than men.

Women’s talents have seen to be unrecognised in Nigeria, especially due to the lack of information published on gender issues. Success of women in top jobs should be celebrated and encouraged; role models like Diezani Alison-Madueke have showed women in Nigeria that it can be done, and the culture of the industries were only have men in top jobs needs to change. A new era has begun, and it’s time for women to also shine.

Roshni Vekereya