A recent study by the Global Energy Talent Index, has shown that whereas women make up 48 per cent of the global labour force, they only account for 22 per cent of the labour force in the oil and gas sector.
The study said women occupied about 50 per cent of non-technical positions at entry-level compared to only 15 per cent of technical and field role positions.
“This implies that the gender diversity and inclusion decreases with seniority, with only a tiny proportion of women in executive positions.
“The percentage of women in the industry drops from 36 per cent to 24 per cent between the middle and executive levels,” the study added.
The oil and gas industry is the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs and contributing substantially to the nation’s foreign reserves.
In Nigeria, women have been pushing for more inclusion in the energy space and are beginning to make progress despite the socio-economic, political and cultural challenges.
However, the industry remains male-dominated at all levels; from leadership roles in major corporations to jobs in mines and on oil rigs.
