Nigeria Calls For Women Parcipation In The Engineering Field

TechInAfrica – The country is in need of more women engineers, as reflected by ANAMBRA State deputy governor, Dr. Knkem Okeke. He advocated for the projection of more women’s participation in the engineering profession in Nigeria. He argued that engineering is a major in which women could thrive within it, especially when given an immense amount of support.

Receiving members of the Association of Nigeria Women Engineers at Government House, Awka, Okeke, who is a fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE), expressed satisfaction over what he called with the fading superstition that the women participation in engineering was a taboo. According to him, sensitizing women to understand the profession better would propel more girls to get into the study of engineering to excel in the profession currently dominated by men. He commended the association’s efforts aimed at encouraging young girls into engineering and advancing the professional development of practicing female engineers.

Mrs. Oluchi Okoli as the chairperson of the association in the state said that the association had mapped out a program that would inspire young women to take up careers in engineering. Already, no less than 10 students selected from various schools in Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka local government area of the state, would be granted with a sponsor from the association to study from primary school to the university level in the engineering courses.

The growing interest in engineering is also fostered by Andela, which welcomes both genders equally to contribute their skills as software engineers. In an in-depth interview by Techpoint Africa, the three emerging women software engineers, Omotayo Madein, a senior software engineer, Hamdalah Adetunji the front-end engineer, Olaide Agboola, a senior software engineer revealed how their driving curiosity allows them to learn and gain experience by registering for internship or training in tech companies. APWEN is another key figure in Nigeria that provides program toward employing, retaining, and advancing women engineers through career services, professional development, and local and global networking, according to its website profile.