Africa’s leading gender equity advocate, the Women in Energy Network (WIEN), has reaffirmed its commitment to preparing female professionals and entrepreneurs to benefit from the opportunities emerging from ongoing reforms across Nigeria’s energy industry.

The organisation announced on Monday that its WIEN Academy continues to provide world-class learning interventions aimed at strengthening technical expertise, commercial knowledge, leadership capacity and professional resilience among women in the sector.

Marking six months of enhanced learning and leadership development, WIEN said the Academy has adopted a more structured, consistent and industry-responsive approach to equipping women with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to lead within Nigeria’s rapidly changing energy landscape.

According to the organisation, the Academy’s transformation comes at a pivotal time for the country’s energy industry, as Nigeria advances new licensing rounds, gas commercialisation initiatives, energy transition programmes and increased investments spanning the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors.

WIEN noted that, despite the growing opportunities across the industry, women remain significantly underrepresented in technical, commercial and executive leadership roles. The organisation said this reality underscores the need for intentional capacity-building initiatives that prepare women to participate more effectively in the sector.

To bridge this gap, the WIEN Academy was formally established to deliver world-class learning interventions focused on enhancing technical competence, commercial acumen, leadership capability and professional resilience. The organisation said the Academy is designed to position women to take advantage of emerging opportunities while contributing to the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s energy industry.

The Academy’s recent achievements build on the foundation established by its former Directors, Dr. Ibilola Amao and Rosario Ososbase, whose leadership helped position it as a trusted professional development platform within WIEN. Over the past six months, the Academy has expanded that legacy through a more structured learning model tailored to the changing needs of women across the energy value chain.

Between January and July 2026, the Academy delivered a series of executive masterclasses, mentoring sessions and career development programmes designed to equip participants with practical knowledge and strategic insight.

Activities began on January 20 with a masterclass on New Tax Requirements for Owner-Managed Businesses. This was followed on April 7 by a session on Commercial Acumen and Energy Economics.

On May 12, participants attended “The Smart Founder’s Guide to Shutting Down,” while a group mentoring session on Leadership and Decision-Making was held on May 19.

The learning schedule continued on June 9 with a masterclass titled “Nigeria’s Decade of Gas Initiative: Roadmap to Implementation, Quick Wins and Critical Enablers.” Another mentoring session followed on June 24, focusing on Personal Development and Building Resilience as a Woman in the Energy Sector.

The six-month programme concluded on July 14 with the Career Clinic Masterclass, which focused on helping participants build and effectively manage their professional careers.

WIEN said the programmes have provided participants with practical insights, strategic perspectives and leadership tools needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive and dynamic energy industry.

Building on these efforts, the Academy plans to introduce a flagship four-part Executive Programme on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) during the third quarter of 2026.

The programme will be delivered by a distinguished faculty of industry experts and will guide participants from ESG fundamentals through advanced application. Areas of focus will include governance and strategy, sustainability reporting, climate finance, social impact and leadership for organisational transformation.

Participants are expected to develop practical competencies in ESG strategy development, sustainability reporting and disclosure frameworks, climate-related risk and opportunity management, carbon accounting, sustainability performance measurement, stakeholder engagement and social impact initiatives. The programme is also intended to prepare participants to lead ESG transformation that creates long-term business and societal value.

Speaking on the Academy’s progress, the Director of the WIEN Academy, Dorothy Eboh, said the institution was established to ensure women play leading roles in Nigeria’s energy transition.

“The WIEN Academy was created to ensure that women are not merely participants in Nigeria’s energy transition but leaders shaping its future. We have intentionally strengthened the Academy’s learning experience through more structured programming, continuous engagement and practical executive development. Through continuous learning, mentoring and executive development, we are building the next generation of women leaders who will drive innovation, sustainability and inclusive growth across the energy value chain,” she said.

The President of WIEN, Eyono Fatai-Williams, also highlighted the Academy’s contribution to developing future women leaders for the energy industry.

“For many years, the WIEN Academy has reflected our commitment to building a pipeline of women leaders who will shape Nigeria’s energy future. The Academy’s recent evolution toward more structured, consistent and member-focused learning experiences has further strengthened that commitment. We have seen women gain confidence, sharpen their skills and position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Nigeria’s energy transition. This is only the beginning, and we are determined to scale our impact even further,” she said.

WIEN remains Nigeria’s foremost professional platform dedicated to promoting women’s participation, leadership and influence across the energy industry. Through advocacy, mentorship, networking, executive education and strategic partnerships, the organisation continues to support women’s professional advancement while contributing to Nigeria’s energy security, economic development and sustainable future.

Source: Champion News