The Women In Energy, Oil and Gas (WEOG) has bagged two out of 11 Pan African award categories, a notable feat to be celebrated.
The two categories include the Pan- African Women in Energy Group of the year Award 2020 and the Pan- African Community Leader ( individual ) award 2020.
The 2020 Africa Women in Energy conference and awards tagged ‘African Queen of Energy awards’ with the theme: ‘The Pan African Dream – African Energy Resilience and Recovery’ was a Live and Virtual event which ran from the 15th to 17th December 2020 with the live session held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The event which had a very large participation of Women in the Energy, Oil, Gas, Power and Renewables sector delegates from across Africa – West Africa, North Africa, East Africa and South Africa also had representatives from across major African countries including but not limited to Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Congo, Sudan, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Ghana, Gambia, South Africa e.t.c.
The 3-day event had very engaging sessions where the progress of African Energy Value Chain was discussed intricately by several female and Male Energy enthusiast, subject matter experts and veterans both from within and outside Africa.
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The discussions were centred around topics such as how the Energy Industry is shaping for the female professionals, the Pan-African Energy dream, the potential of women engaging in the energy transition, operating in the renewable energy sector, African Energy Revolution, new frontiers, moving from invisible to influential and finally gender mainstreaming in the Energy Sector were some of the topics trashed at the highly engaging conference.
The event which had a high-level government, private sector and public sector representatives from across Africa revealed major facts and concerns summary which is that all the African countries have the same issues, concerns and challenges -African wide Energy Poverty and the need for all and sundry to collaborate and work together to close the Energy gap without prejudice.
Nigeria was duly represented at the landmark event by strong, indefatigable Energy Ladies from the Women In Energy, Oil and Gas (WEOG) Nigeria some of who contributed extensively to the success of the landmark event sharing their expertise and experience as Keynote speakers and panellist.
Of honourable mention are Olu Maduka, the Chairperson of the group, Susan Morrice, the group”s global Matron, Oladunni Owo – the National President, Anita Okuribido, board Executive, Funmi Kadri, Dolapo Okulaja – Kotun and Dorcas James all members of the indefatigable, not for profit group.
Oladunni Owo, the National President of WEOG while anchoring the Opening speech at the Day 1 of the conference turbo-charge and challenged all African Nations to work at deliberately mainstreaming women into the Energy value chain leveraging on same as a strategy for prompt closure of the obvious Energy poverty/gaps across the continent.
Dunni who is also a member of the Global Women in Energy Transition Network ( GWNET) and Forbes Women International during her speech passionately shared the WEOG Nigeria’s vision, mission and objectives with the other participating women groups from across Africa for possible replication in their countries, the crux of her passionate delivery was the need for the continent to close the obvious gender gap in the industry in line with the SDG 05, close the Energy poverty gaps and close the huge gap between the African resource / raw material wealth and its transformational effect on the lives and quality of living of the people.
The 3rd and last day of the conference was graced with the Queen of Energy Award Ceremony, the 1st Pan African Women in Energy award, sponsored and confirmed by the Ministry of Energy, Kenya where several nominees and final awardees emerged from across different countries in Africa in different categories
Dunni Owo having authored an award-winning master piece title: ‘Blackgold Refinery Business Made Easy,’ led the delegation of over 20 Energy Women who represented Nigeria at the phenomenal event
The second award which is an individual award category tagged the Pan African Community leadership award was bagged by the Energy driven Anita Okuribido.
She won the award in recognition of her assiduous, dogged and emphatic drive to close the energy poverty gap in Nigeria through renewable energy and green solutions for all and sundry with extensive focus on the grass root and rural communities.
Her one Nigerian child one solar reading light project is a major project she’s so passionate about a strategy she passionately shared with the other African nations for possible replication during one of the panel discussion at the just-concluded conference.
Okuribido recently singlehandedly built and commissioned the 1st African Women’s Green Energy Institute, situated in Lagos State.
In her award acceptance speech, she expressed her surprise at the award and dedicated the award to all African Women and Global womanhood.
Okuribido is a member of the Board of Trustees of Women In Energy, Oil and Gas – WEOG, President Women in Renewable Energy Association (WIRE- A) and Chairperson, Women in Sustainable Power Africa, Network (WISPANET).
The WEOG group founded in 2018 with the Moto: ‘Energy Women Closing Energy Gap: Energy Women Moving the Nation Forward’ have been working relentlessly, advocating the mainstreaming of women in the male-dominated energy industry With several feats to show for it
