The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) recently marked the International Women’s Day 2025 and it witnessed a huge turnout of female staff and they held interactive sessions with top-flight professionals, learned all they need to overcome gender bias, break barriers, and achieve success in the oil and gas industry.
In attendance as resource persons and guest speakers were Ms. Charlotte Essiet, an oil and gas industry professional and drone technology expert, Mrs. Chinwe Jack, a consultant with Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Company Limited, and Dr. Mrs Bassey Porbeni-Fumudoh, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.
In the lead presentation at the event, Ms. Essiet noted that stereotyping and gender bias are real and that they pose serious challenges to career-minded women. But she said the problems could be easily overcome when a woman proves her worth as evidenced by her own experience in the oil and gas industry as well as aviation.
Drawing from her career in the oil industry, where she began with pipeline engineering in Willbros Inc., a leading multinational oil service company, and transitioned to pipeline process services in Haliburton, she said the beginning point is, “taking control and being intentional about yourself.” She emphasised that one has to know where one wants to be and ensure self-development.
According to Ms. Essiet, who is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Elint Systems Limited, Nigeria’s pioneer unmanned traffic management (UTM) service provider, one does not have to wait to be trained by an employer. She said every major school she attended was on self-sponsorship, because she realised that if she had to be better she had to do something important. She had to build expertise as well as credibility.
As a career-minded woman, she insisted, “you have to know what is going on in your space and own the space.” Such a woman would need quality mentoring or coaching by an expert or some other knowledgeable persons in her field or any other.
For a woman seeking to go into the oil and gas industry, Essiet said it would be helpful if her self-development elevates her as a brand. It makes her immediately recognisable by peers and competitors as a person of enormous potential. Continuous learning is required, and she must seek “strategic positioning and partnership,” while being intentional about what the partnership affords her.
Summing up her points on the pathway to success for the career woman, she said, “When you start you may not get a seat [at the table]; bring your own stool,” that is, while others might tend to discount your worth, demonstrate your capabilities. “At the end of the day, they’ll give you a seat.”
She advised women to “stay ahead by learning new technologies and trends,” and challenged those who are able to break through “to open up space for other women
In a related presentation entitled “Stress Management,” an expert, Mrs. Chinwe Jack, said the condition which she described as “a state of mental and emotional strain that has come from a difficult or demanding situation” is on the rise in the country. All variants of it, namely, chronic stress, acute stress and episodic stress, are prevalent on a daily basis, triggered by events or trends at places of work or homes.
She said the effects could be emotional or physical, and advised individuals experiencing intense anxiety or severe digestion problems to seek medical help. Generally, people need to moderate consumption of processed food, caffeine and high-sugar food. High-fibre food, including fish and eggs, are to be preferred.
In a presentation on “Healthy Living” for women, Dr. Bassey Porbeni-Fumudoh dwelt at length on several aspects of the female reproductive system.
Earlier in a welcome address, Mrs. Alexis Emelle, Manager, Capacity Building in NCDMB, said this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day is all about equality, women’s rights and their invaluable contributions to development across the world.
According to her, “We’ve come together not only to celebrate achievements but to reaffirm our commitment to equity, inclusion and empowerment.”
She pointed out that “women have been and continue to be leaders, innovators and change-makers in every sphere of life, be it in business, science, government or within our families and communities,” but noted that “there is still work to be done, breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and ensuring equal opportunities for all.”
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Accelerate Action.”
