Do you know that there are top executives who are women in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry? To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD)2024, FinTech Telex recognizes the revolutionary women who are making waves in this challenging industry.
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has been known to be a male-dominated industry in the past few years, but it’s a different story today as women have risen to the occasion.
There’s a saying that goes, “What a man can do, a woman can do better”; this plays out in the oil and gas industry and the women are not backing down anytime soon. Their innovative leadership, contributions and expertise have left the industry with a lasting impact.
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5 Revolutionary Women In Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry
Fintech Telex has put together a list of five Amazon women who represent inclusion and also inspire it in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, just as the theme of IWD 2024. These women have fought for their place by taking giant strides and breaking barriers.
Below are five revolutionary women in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
1. Folorunsho Alakija
Recognized as one of the wealthiest African women in the world, Folorunsho Alakija is one of the most revolutionary women in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Currently serving as the Vice President of Famfa Oil Limited, she fought tirelessly to establish her reign in the company.
Starting her financial and professional journey as an executive secretary at Sijuade Enterprises in Lagos, after which she joined the First National Bank of Chicago. She went on to start her tailoring company called Supreme Stitches, now referred to as Rose of Sharon House of Fashion.
Excelling in the fashion industry, Alakija delved into the oil and gas industry. The transformation happened when her company, Famfa Limited secured an exploration license for a 617,000-acre block named OPL 216.
In a strategic move, it formed a joint venture with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, a Texaco subsidiary, transferring 40% of its initial 100% stake to them while appointing them as technical advisers for the exploration process.
The government made attempts to assert a 50% stake following the oil discovery, Alakija initiated legal action and ultimately prevailed in retaining the ownership structure.
2. Catherine Uju Ifejika
Catherine Uju Ifejika, a woman of remarkable courage, serves as the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Britannia-U, a subsidiary of Britannia-U Group specializing in a comprehensive range of services spanning subsurface engineering, exploration, refining, trading, and production within the energy sector.
3. Bola Shagaya
Sitting as the founder of Voyage Oil and Gas Limited and managing director of Practoil Limited, Bola Shagaya is a revolutionary woman in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Started her career at the Central Bank of Nigeria in the audit department, and she was known to be an exceptional professional.
Shagaya later branched out into entrepreneurship when she started importing and selling base oil.
With a degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University in Kaduna and also Accountancy at Armstrong College in California, USA, Shagaya has a strong background in business and entrepreneurship.
4. Moroti Adeyinka-Adedoyin
Moroti Adeyinka-Adedoyin is the definition of influential as she sits on the seat of the executive director at Sahara Group, a Nigerian energy and infrastructure conglomerate that operates in over 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
A first-degree holder in Economics from the University of Lagos in 1991 and a diploma holder in General Management from Harvard University in Boston, USA in 2008, Adeyinka-Adedoyin is a woman in her league.
Starting as a Finance Manager in Sahara Group in 2002, she rose to Group Treasurer in 2006. In 2009, she became the CEO of the group’s Trading arm.
5. Victoria Samson
Embarking on her professional journey as a dealer for Texaco Nigeria Limited, Victoria Samson‘s entrepreneurial drive propelled her to co-establish the Bovas Group alongside her husband in 1980.
In 1991, the company was established as an independent petroleum marketing company and a fuel station in Osogbo, Osun state.
Under her leadership, the company has experienced substantial growth, managing multiple service stations across Nigeria and actively contributing to the advancement of the country’s oil and gas infrastructure.
These women in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry have indeed displayed strength, leadership and resilience against all odds. They all truly inspire inclusion and it’s admirable.
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