Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele has said that more women’s participation in engineering would help boost Africa’s economic growth and development.
Just as she believed that Women’s inclusion and empowerment within engineering have far-reaching implications in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future for the African continent.
The Deputy Governor made this known while delivering her keynote address at the UNESCO night Africa Engineering week and 7th Africa Engineering conference held at CSIR International convention centre, Pretoria in South Africa, saying that studies have consistently shown that gender diversity in the workforce has led to greater productivity, innovation, and profitability.
She noted that the number of women engineers in Africa was around 10 percent, despite that women make up over 50 percent of the population as well as form the majority of the workforce in most countries, explaining that the Engineering Council of South Africa research revealed that women made up only 12 percent of registered professional engineers, indicating a significant gender gap.
She pointed out that only about 4,500 of the 60,000 engineers registered by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) are female, indicating 7.5 percent.
Engr. Salako-Oyedele however urged Engineers not to forget the importance of advocacy and raising awareness as they all continued to work towards gender equality in engineering, while bringing attention to achievements would also serve as an inspiration and motivation for future generations.
In his address, South Africa’s Minister of Electricity, Dr. kgosientsho Ramokgopa appreciated practising women engineers all over Africa, saying more women inclusiveness in the engineering sector would play a significant role in shaping the economy of not only countries in Africa but the world at large.
While calling on the government, stakeholders in the engineering sector and institutions of higher learning to initiate policies that would encourage young girls to choose engineering as a career, as well as motivate female graduates to practice engineering.
