The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has announced the expansion of its intervention fund for women in the oil and gas sector in a move aimed at deepening inclusion and bridging the gender financing gap within the industry.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, disclosed this in his goodwill message at the third edition of the Diversity Sectorial Working Group Annual Women in Oil and Gas Conference held on Tuesday.
Ogbe explained that empowering women remains central to the board’s capacity development mandate under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
According to him, the board established the Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund in partnership with the Bank of Industry after recognising that technical skills alone are insufficient without access to financing.
“Recognising that skills alone are not enough without access to capital, NCDMB established the Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund, in partnership with the Bank of Industry. This landmark initiative was designed specifically to support female entrepreneurs in the oil and gas sector by providing access to affordable financing and business expansion support,” Ogbe stated.
He noted that the intervention has enabled women-owned businesses to procure equipment, expand operations, and participate more actively across the oil and gas value chain.
According to him, beneficiaries of the programme include women operating in logistics and marine services, safety equipment supply, and environmental management services.
“This fund is helping to close the gender financing gap and enabling women to transition from participants to owners and leaders within the industry,” Ogbe added.
Beyond financing, the NCDMB boss said the board has introduced targeted programmes to support women entrepreneurs through vendor development and business capacity strengthening initiatives.
He explained that through collaboration with the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund and financial institutions, several women-owned companies have gained access to business training and financing opportunities.
Ogbe also highlighted the board’s efforts to strengthen technical capacity among women through partnerships with institutions such as the Petroleum Training Institute and other accredited training centres.
He cited the training of women in welding and fabrication under NCDMB-sponsored programmes, conducted in partnership with industrial training centres in Rivers and Bayelsa states, as one of the success stories of the initiative.
According to him, several female graduates of the programme are now employed in fabrication yards, contributing directly to major oil and gas projects across the country.
“These women are not only earning dignified livelihoods but are also breaking stereotypes and inspiring a new generation,” Ogbe said.
He stressed that empowering women is not merely a social obligation but also an economic necessity for the long-term sustainability of the energy sector.
At the conference themed “Building Bridges, Empowering Women for a Sustainable Energy Future,” the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Michele Branco-Aiyegbusi, described the 2026 gathering as more than a professional meeting.
According to her, the event represents a deliberate effort to ensure that inclusion in the oil and gas sector moves beyond aspiration to concrete action.
Branco-Aiyegbusi noted that the theme reflects the urgency for the industry to address structural and cultural barriers that influence participation and leadership opportunities.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the NCCF Diversity Sectoral Working Group, Alero Onosode, highlighted the growing presence of women in leadership positions across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“Across Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape, we see renewed activity, reform, and growth. Alongside this momentum, we see something equally significant: the rise of women into visible, influential leadership roles,” she said.
Onosode noted that regulators, chief executives, engineers, and policymakers who are women are increasingly shaping strategies and transforming spaces that were once dominated by men.
She added that building bridges requires collaboration across sectors, generations, and perspectives, stressing that diversity becomes effective when women and men work together.
During various panel sessions at the conference, stakeholders called for greater representation of women across the oil and gas value chain.
In addition, the Director of the NNPC Academy, Folashade Adekeye, announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited will launch its women’s group on Monday as part of efforts to strengthen inclusion within the organisation.
The development, stakeholders said, reflects a growing industry-wide commitment to ensuring that women play a more prominent role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s energy sector.
