According to African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE), women make up the majority of workers in several African countries, however they only occupy fewer than 20% of science and engineering positions. This discrepancy is intended to be addressed by a World Bank-funded project under Nigeria’s Energizing Education Programme (EEP) Phase II, which would provide Sustainable Energy to two teaching hospitals and seven universities in addition to encouraging gender inclusion in engineering. To encourage more women to enter the Electricity sector, the project employs twenty female interns at each location.
Construction of a 12-megawatt solar power plant is being spearheaded by the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in northeastern Nigeria. Under UNIMAID, female interns have extended their theoretical knowledge to practical applications by gaining hands-on experience in renewable energy, such as solar panel installations and energy audits. A sustainable future for Nigeria’s educational institutions—which are struggling financially as a result of growing electricity costs—is another goal of the initiative, in addition to empowering these women. A group of all female interns raised worries, but male engineers have mentored the group, thus the project has gone smoothly.
Initiatives to boost the number of women in engineering is effective.
Gender bias and cultural expectations that dissuade women from pursuing jobs in traditionally male-dominated fields like engineering are among the major obstacles experienced by female students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field, especially in Africa. Access to opportunities, mentorship, and resources may be restricted as a result of these biases. To tackle these issues, an intentional and inclusive atmosphere was established within the framework of Nigeria’s Energizing Education Programme (EEP). With the help of their male mentors with years of experience, the program made sure that female interns had the support and direction they needed to successfully traverse the technical and professional facets of the engineering sector.
Furthermore, the program’s design placed a strong emphasis on practical experience, which enabled the female interns to overcome the early obstacles brought on by gender preconceptions by developing competence and confidence in their job. Initiatives to boost the number of women in STEM have demonstrated encouraging outcomes on a global scale. According to a report published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), for example, the proportion of women working in this field rose by up to 30% in nations that have robust policies encouraging women to pursue careers in STEM.
Female engineering graduates increased from 10% (2010) to 22% (2020).
Similar programs have begun to show results in Nigeria. The proportion of female engineering graduates increased from 10% in 2010 to almost 22% in 2020, according to the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). By giving female students the real-world experience and professional networks they need to succeed in the field, programs like EEP play a critical role in maintaining and advancing this trend. The participants’ careers and the Nigerian Renewable Energy industry are expected to be significantly impacted in the long run by the internships provided by the EEP.
Research indicates that internships have a significant impact on career paths, as seen by the 70% of students who take part in internships receiving job offers in their field of study. In addition to improving their employability, the female interns at UNIMAID saw their involvement in the solar power project as a way to establish themselves as trailblazers in Nigeria’s emerging renewable energy market. This is especially crucial because Nigeria wants to lessen its reliance on fossil fuels and diversify its energy mix.
Continuous initiatives to close gender gap in STEM fields are necessary.
In research and engineering, women only comprise roughly 28% of the workforce worldwide. Though slowly, things are getting better in Nigeria. The number of female engineers registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) climbed from 4,000 in 2010 to over 12,000 in 2023, according to a survey done by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN). This growth suggests that continuous initiatives to close the gender gap in STEM fields—like those shown in the EEP—to encourage women in STEM fields are both necessary and effective.