NNPC Retail Limited has stepped up its push for gender inclusion and female empowerment in Nigeria’s energy sector with the second edition of its She-Fix initiative, held in Abuja at the weekend.
According to a statement by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, issued in Abuja on Sunday, the event, tagged She-Fix 2.0 and themed “Driving Diversity, Powering Progress”, brought together more than 300 women, including professionals, entrepreneurs, young technicians and industry leaders, in a bid to expand opportunities for women across technical and professional fields.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described inclusion as critical to national development and urged stakeholders to create more opportunities for women, particularly in technical and STEM-related disciplines.
She commended NNPC Retail for driving the initiative, while calling for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to deepen its impact.
“Inclusion is central to national growth, and initiatives like this must be scaled through sustained partnerships,” she said.
In her keynote address, the Executive Vice President, Business Services at NNPC Limited, Sophia Mbakwe, highlighted the growing influence of women within the national oil company, noting that their contributions cut across all levels of the organisation.
She said NNPC Retail, as the company’s primary interface with the public, remains a critical space where diversity must be prioritised.
The Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Huub Stokman, represented by the firm’s Executive Director, Finance, Valentina Kojo, stressed that empowerment initiatives must move beyond rhetoric.
“Women empowerment must be practical, visible and sustainable,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, Andy Odeh, said women are increasingly shaping the future of the energy industry.
“Women in today’s energy sector are leading change, building institutions and shaping the narrative of an industry already in transition,” Odeh said. “When women lead, value follows, and when value follows, organisations grow and society prospers.”
The event featured panel discussions, live car care demonstrations, networking sessions and a marketplace showcasing female-led businesses. Participants also benefited from interactive sessions and product discounts, including on Oleum lubricants and NR-GAS LPG products.
A high-level panel comprising senior female executives from across sectors shared insights on leadership, finance, governance and innovation.
Panellists included Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation; Maryamu Idris, Managing Director of NNPC Trading Limited and Nigeria’s OPEC National Representative; Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Officer at Interswitch Limited; Toyin Alasi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Money Wise International; and Adaeze Nwakoby, General Manager, Governance, Risk and Compliance at NNPC Retail Limited.
Organisers said She-Fix 2.0 builds on the success of the maiden 2025 edition held in Lagos, marking an expansion of the programme’s reach and reinforcing NNPC Retail’s commitment to creating lasting opportunities for women across Nigeria’s energy value chain.
