The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has reiterated its commitment to advancing gender inclusion and sustainable capacity development in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, spotlighting a $20m Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund. The Board made this known at the 3rd edition of the Diversity Sector Working Group’s Women in Oil and Gas Conference and Mentorship Programme 2026.
The conference, organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, was themed ‘Breaking Barriers, Shaping the Future’ and focused on building bridges and empowering women for a sustainable energy future.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, was represented by the General Manager of Midstream PCAD, Ms. Lekoma Phimia, in his goodwill message. described women’s empowerment as a strategic lever for strengthening Nigeria’s energy ecosystem, particularly at a time the global industry was undergoing profound structural change.
“Inclusive organisations are more innovative, more resilient and more profitable. When women thrive, industries thrive. When women lead, economies grow. When women are empowered, communities prosper,” he stated.
At the centre of NCDMB’s empowerment showcase, the Executive Secretary highlighted the Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund, a landmark $20m initiative established in partnership with the Nigerian Export-Import Bank to provide affordable financing exclusively to women-owned businesses operating within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
He explained that the fund offers single-digit interest rate loans with repayment tenors of up to three years, targeted at eligible companies with approved industry contracts. He says the initiative is designed to build local capacity and help women entrepreneurs move from peripheral participation to ownership and leadership across the oil and gas value chain.
