KEY POINTS
- NUPRC Chief Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan reaffirmed commitment to advancing gender inclusion at the 5th Women in Maritime and Energy Awards in Lagos.
- She noted women remain underrepresented in upstream energy operations and pledged policy support for increased participation.
- Eyesan called for dedicated financing, investment funds, and long-term frameworks to support women-led businesses in the sector.
The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has reiterated her commitment to promoting gender inclusion and empowering women across Nigeria’s maritime and energy sectors.
Eyesan made the pledge during her keynote address at the fifth anniversary of the Women in Maritime and Energy Awards held in Lagos on March 27, 2026. The development was disclosed in a post shared on the commission’s X handle.
She emphasised her role as both a supporter and active ally of the initiative, noting that the commission would continue to amplify advocacy efforts and ensure measurable impact across policy and practice in the maritime and energy industries.
Women Still Underrepresented in Key Segments
The NUPRC boss acknowledged that while progress has been recorded, women remain underrepresented in critical areas of the energy and maritime sectors, particularly in upstream operations. She explained that structural and cultural barriers continue to limit women’s participation in these technical and leadership roles.
Eyesan stated that the commission is aligning with the Federal Government’s broader gender inclusion strategy by promoting diversity in licensing processes, workforce participation, and stakeholder engagement. She added that NUPRC is also strengthening policies to support capacity building and technical training for women.
She further called for innovative solutions to boost women’s participation, including dedicated financing windows, gender-focused investment funds, and sustainable frameworks that would support women-led enterprises within the energy and maritime sectors.
