NSE President Oguntala declares female leadership a panacea to Africa’s underdevelopment

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs. Margaret Oguntala, has advocated capacity building for the female professionals to occupy leadership positions, in order to help fast-track Africa’s development.

Oguntala made the call as a panellist during the 7th African Women Engineers Forum 2024 in Angola, as part of the 10th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and 8th Africa Engineering Conference.

The statement on the event was made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja by Mrs Felicia Agubata, Vice President, Corporate Services of NSE.

According to the statement, during the panel discussion, Oguntala shared insights to her journey of becoming the first female President of the NSE, highlighting the challenges and stereotypes she had to overcome.

She explained how she broke multiple barriers in a male-dominated field, adding that, her success was driven by resilience, mentorship, and an unwavering commitment to professional excellence.

“I knew I had to be twice as good to be considered equal, and I focused on continuous learning, skill development, and building strategic relationships,” she said.

The NSE President also discussed her leadership initiatives aimed at promoting capacity development and gender inclusivity within the engineering profession.

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“I believe that capacity development is key to creating future leaders. Through various NSE initiatives, we have ensured that young professionals, especially women, are given the tools and opportunities to succeed,” she said.

In another development, Oguntala declared opened a groundbreaking Training on Data Analytics and Software Development for Young Engineers to equip them engineers with essential digital skills.

Delivering a keynote, the NSE President emphasized the importance of the programme and the society’s commitment to fostering technological advancement and innovation within Nigeria’s engineering sector.

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“Under my leadership, the NSE will continue to champion research, support startups, and advocate for engineering solutions that address the unique challenges facing our nation.

“We aim to position Nigeria as a hub for engineering excellence. By embracing innovation, we will ensure that our engineers remain competitive in this increasingly digital age,” she said.

She said 279 successful applicants were chosen from a pool of over 400 and participants will gain knowledge on tools that will help them address real-world engineering challenges.

The UNESCO forum had the theme: “Empowering Women in Building a Sustainable African Future” and it focused on promoting women’s leadership in engineering and fostering their contributions to sustainable development in Africa.

The conference brought together engineering professionals from across Africa to explore cutting-edge solutions for infrastructure development, economic integration, and sustainability on the continent.