NASENI to increase number of Nigerian female engineers in 5 years –EVC/CEO Halilu

*The Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer/NASENI, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, unveil an  initiative to support female engineers to succeed in Engineering and Technology-based enterprises in the country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has assured it will double the number of female Engineers in Nigeria over the next five years.

Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NASENI, made the pledge Friday, March 8, 2024, at the agency’s headquarters, in Abuja, FCT, during the official launch of “Developing Engineering Leaders Through Her” (DELT-Her).

The occasion also coincided with the global commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) in Nigeria.

Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, Director of Information at NASENI, in a statement Friday disclosed the EVC/CEO of the agency, described Delt-Her as an initiative and subset of Delta-2 programme, floated to close the gender gap in engineering practice in the country.

He also affirmed the initiative is designed to inspire the next generation of female engineers, provide financing support for new ideas and projects, translating them into viable businesses, and ultimately to strengthen the entire engineering ecosystem.

Halilu also said: “DELT-Her is what I call an opportunity platform”, through which girls and young women can pitch and present their exciting and groundbreaking engineering ideas, for funding by NASENI, through our collaboration with the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT).

Halilu also explained the DELT-Her “seeks to correct the in balance in practice and enterprise development, by focusing attention and funding on young women, and very importantly, creating and cultivating public awareness around the need to train and mentor more women into the engineering professions.”

According to him, what this should ideally mean is that women should make up half of all professional spaces in the country but, for now, this is far from reality.

The EVC/CEO of NASENI stated: “The global average for female representation in engineering is 28 percent. In Nigeria, it is only five percent, only one in 20 Nigerian engineers is a woman.

“This awareness component of the work is one that we will take very seriously, working through schools, and storytelling campaigns.”

He further stated: “We intend to, through DELT-HER, double the number of female engineers in Nigeria over the next five years.

“This will mean working extensively at the level of secondary education, which is where young girls make the vital decisions regarding choice of professional field.”

Dr. Mohammed Dahiru, Chairman of PICTT, in his welcome address earlier  had stated: “The Committee, through continuous support of NASENI is determined to fund innovative and commercially viable ideas in engineering and technology-oriented proposals by women. “Therefore, today’s launch of call for proposals from young women marks the beginning of a chain of events which are expected to lead to engineering start-up companies owned and run by women.”

Also in her keynote speech, President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, said DELT-HER initiative sought to address the challenges of practice by the female gender, and to unlock the full potential of women in engineering.

Other goodwill messages at the event included the chairman, Senate Committee on NASENI, Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi who pledged his support for Women in engineering and science sector to ensure that they are given their rightful position in society.

Others who gave goodwill messages include Rinsola Abiola, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Citizenship and Leadership, and Chairman, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria(APWEN), Engr. Mrs. Katume Giwa.

The statement added the event was graced by students from Government Secondary School, Dasara, Kuje, Abuja.