There Is Room For More Women In STEM, Says UKNIAF

The message was clear and empowering: women belong in STEM. This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Stella Odiase, the Deputy Team Lead at the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), during the STEM Marketplace event organized by the Women on the Grid Hub (WotGH) in Abuja.

Dr. Odiase emphasized that the power sector, in particular, offers exciting opportunities for women who are ready to take on challenges. “There is room for more women in this industry,” she affirmed.

The event aimed to connect female STEM undergraduates and early-career professionals with successful female leaders in Nigeria’s power sector, highlighting the importance of mentorship in addressing gender disparities in the field. Dr. Odiase encouraged young women to embrace the STEM sector with confidence, dismissing the common perception that STEM fields are intimidating.

“Younger women need to know there is no need to be scared of the STEM space. As we can see from the power sector, so many exciting things are happening,” she added.

Over 60 participants, including final-year students and early-career professionals, attended the event, which provided a platform for mentorship and meaningful exchanges. The event featured nine stalls representing key areas of the electricity value chain, such as transmission, distribution, gas-to-power, and regulation. Female executives, referred to as “vendors,” offered advice, career guidance, and personal insights to the “customers”—young women eager to advance in STEM.

Barr. Toju Briggs, the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at UKNIAF, praised the marketplace’s format for encouraging impactful interactions. “The marketplace structure fostered direct engagement between mentors and mentees. Seeing young women leave the event with clarity, confidence, and new connections reinforces the importance of this initiative,” she said.

For many attendees, the event was an eye-opener. Jacintha Kummiap, a final-year engineering student, shared her experience of overcoming self-doubt. “One thing I learned from the event was to believe in yourself. As an engineering student, I have always struggled with being a female in a male-dominated sector. The Women on the Grid Hub has shown me that I am not alone and that success is achievable,” she said.

Mrs. Fatima Lawan Muhtar, Company Secretary and Legal Adviser at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), served as one of the marketplace vendors, sharing advice on embracing new opportunities under the recently passed Electricity Act 2023. “I encouraged the young professionals to stay curious, keep learning, and explore the emerging opportunities the Act brings,” she said. “As a Woman on the Grid Hub champion, I’m committed to fostering a community that empowers women in STEM and supports their growth.”

Dr. Odiase and the UKNIAF team believe that the key to increasing female representation in STEM lies in continuous mentorship and knowledge sharing. “Women have the skills and talent to thrive in the power sector and other STEM fields. What they need is a community that encourages them to push forward,” Dr. Odiase said. Through WotGH, UKNIAF is fostering this community by promoting collaboration, providing access to resources, and facilitating industry connections.

As the power sector continues to evolve, especially with the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, initiatives like WotGH are crucial to ensuring that women are not left behind in the industry’s transformation. “We’re witnessing a transformation in this industry,” Dr. Odiase concluded. “And we want women to be a part of it—because there is plenty of room for them to succeed.”