Financial Energy Review
…………by Amaka Ndubuwa………..
African women are now positioning to champion the production and the increase of green hydrogen which requires vast renewable energy usage. The production of renewables by women will be for both domestic market and export to European countries for the next couple of years ahead.
This is because the current global energy transition campaign presents a unique opportunity for women to be at the forefront of decision and development on low carbon energy sources like green hydrogen towards the net zero emission targets while closing the gap of women in roles across the energy sector in Africa.
Women make up about 50 percent of the global population. However, the percentage of women working in the energy sector across the decades on average fluctuates around 30 percent “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made” Ruth Bader Ginsburg said.
In the just concluded Brunch Networking event in Lagos yesterday organized by the German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office in collaboration with the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) and the African Energy Chamber (AEC) has now created a bridge between women working in Africa and the energy transition through green hydrogen opportunities.
This Brunch Networking event has also furthwr amplifies women readiness to participate in the on going global energy transition showcasing cross cutting measures across the energy sector.
The event which hosted many women ncluding University students, early, mid-tier and senior professionals within the private and public sector in Nigeria. The audience was entirely women reaching demographics across the energy and electricity sectors in Nigeria.
About Women in Green Hydrogen
The Women in Green Hydrogen Network is a network of passionate women working in the green hydrogen sector. The vision is to increase the visibility and amplify the voices of women working in green hydrogen.
The network provides a platform to connect, empower and change for women, led by women. Since 2020, WiGH has partnered with several key industry players like GIZ, Enapter, Guidehouse, Reuter Events, GWNET (Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition), Mission Hydrogen, Sustainable energy Council, World Hydrogen Leaders and many more to engage and amplify women participation in the green hydrogen dialogue.
About African Energy Chamber
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) is committed to collaborating with the public and private sector to help find solutions to Africa’s energy challenges. The AEC is a signatory of the equal by 30 campaign and is committed to equal pay, leadership and increasing the opportunities for women in energy. In the quest to empower and promote women in the energy sector, the AEC partners with various groups promoting the involvement of women in the energy sector. The AEC’s mission is to provide opportunities for prosperity, innovation, and economic growth in Africa through the promotion of sustainable energy.
In promoting Africa’s clean energy transition, the chamber also ensures that benefits from this transition are equitable. The AEC recognizes the importance of finding clean energy solutions that work for Africa and push the chamber’s goal of ending energy poverty by 2030. In addition, the chamber aims to help accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen technologies.
The speed of adoption is reliant on the involvement of women in all sectors of the industry and the chamber is committed to working with stakeholders to make this a reality.
About the German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office
The German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office is part of the Global Hydrogen Diplomacy programme (H2 Diplo)funded by the German Foreign Office and implemented by the GIZ. The objective of the Hydrogen Office is to partner with Nigeria to assess and outline its prospects and potentials for green hydrogen with a mandate to strengthen the country towards leveraging these potentials for a sustainable transformation of its industry and economy. Through the goals for the Hydrogen Office, assessment of the relevant workforce and the role of women in the energy transition remains preeminent. Across the operations for Nigeria, the Hydrogen Office allocates opportunities for cross cutting activities for the national economy.
The German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office has endorsed the African Women in the Energy Transition The Brunch networking has created the opportunity to highlight the opportunities for women in the green hydrogen economy.
According to IRENA, the energy transition is a pathway toward transformation of the global energy sector from fossil-based to zerocarbon by the second half of this century. In this transition, green hydrogen utilization is expected to play a vital role towards decarbonization of the sector especially in hard to abate industries.
