The Women on the Grid Hub (WotGH), an initiative of the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), facilitated a STEM Marketplace event that brought together leading female executives in the Power sector and aspiring young professionals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to discuss emerging opportunities in the STEM space using the Power sector as a case study.
The STEM Marketplace, which held in Abuja on January 29, this year, featured an interactive marketplace offering mentorship, networking, and knowledge-sharing, with over 60 guests in attendance, including Climate Change & Nature Lead at FCDO, Ms Martine Sobey, Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Engr Kristin T. Wæringsaasen, and UKNIAF Team Lead, Engr Frank Edozie.
A statement issued by the organisers after the event disclosed that female Power sector executives served as “vendors”, sharing their personal journeys, expertise, and career insights with “customers” — female final-year STEM undergraduates and early-career professionals.
The mentor-mentee relationships forged during this event will continue to influence career development and choice for women’s increased participation in STEM.
“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 in this space. There is room for more women in this industry, and that’s the message we hope we got across at the event,” said Dr. Stella Odiase, Deputy Team Lead at UKNIAF.
Barr Toju Briggs, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at UKNIAF, added that “the marketplace format fostered direct and impactful interactions between mentors and mentees. Seeing young women leave the event with clarity, confidence, and valuable connections reinforces the importance of this initiative.”
Participants echoed these sentiments, with many describing the event as “inspirational” and “transformative”. Jacintha Kummiap, an attendee, said that “one thing I learnt 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. I want to thank the Women on the Grid Hub for this opportunity to learn from accomplished females in the industry”.
Mrs Fatima Lawan Muhtar, the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and a STEM Marketplace Vendor remarked that “it was inspiring to see the young professionals’ passion for the power sector as we discussed career choices, work-life balance, and embracing technology.
With the Electricity Act 2023 bringing new opportunities, I encouraged them to stay curious, keep learning, and explore emerging prospects. As a Woman on the Grid Hub champion, I’m committed to empowering women in STEM and fostering a supportive community.”
The Women on the Grid Hub (WotGH) is an initiative of the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF). It aims to promote networking, the sharing of best global practices in on-grid electricity delivery, policy influence, mentoring, and modelling; while the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF) is an FCDO-funded flexible, rapid response, demand-led technical assistance programme that primarily supports the Federal Government of Nigeria.
