OPENING SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL WOMEN ENGINEERS OF NIGERIA (APWEN) by ENGR. DR. ADEBISI R. OSIM, FNSE, FNICE, FIMC at THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, EXHIBITION AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
( PROTOCOL)
I stand before you with immense pride and gratitude. I welcome each and everyone of you here at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, for the 2025 APWEN International Conference, Exhibition, and Annual General Meeting.
Today marks the culmination of a year of relentless dedication to empower women engineers and drive Nigeria’s progress. Our theme, Revitalizing Nigeria’s Manufacturing Sector Through Innovative Engineering Solutions, reminds us that engineers are indeed building Nigeria’s future – one innovative step at a time.
As we open this conference, let us reflect on the extraordinary year that was 2025 for APWEN. This has been a year of bold actions, transformative impacts, and unbreakable spirit. We have not only encouraged, enhanced, and excelled, as our motto states, but we have ignited passions, bridged divides, and created lasting change across Nigeria.
ENCOURAGE
Let me take you through some of our flagship activities that have defined this year.
Flagship STEM Activities
The 6th Edition of the Mayen Adetiba Technical Boot Camp stood out as a beacon of STEM empowerment. Over 150 young girls dove into hands-on engineering challenges, learning about solar energy, sustainable design, and material science.
Results: 60% of participants voiced their desire to pursue engineering careers, and we fortified partnerships with Anoh Gas Processing Company Ltd. for future sponsorships.
Challenges: We encountered hurdles, like limited equipment and the need for extended sessions, but these taught us to innovate further, emphasizing post-camp mentorship and better preparation.
FunSTEM 2.0: Expanding Horizons in STEM Education is a Professional Development Across Nigeria, sponsored by Worley Foundation. This innovative project was designed to significantly enhance the quality and accessibility of STEM education and professional development across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
Goal: Increase STEM literacy and leadership skills, focusing on promoting gender balance and inclusivity.
Activities: Included hands-on learning experiences with advanced digital resources; Advanced STEM Workshops (robotics, coding, renewable energy, and ‘Fashion Meets STEM’); and Leadership Masterclasses.
Impact: The project has impacted 300 students, 100 educators, and 100 APWEN engineers, with 25% male inclusion promoting gender balance, fostering a mindset conducive to innovation and problem solving. This aligned with Economic and Social Development: SDG 8.
Grassroots Outreach and Competitions
Our outreach extended to grassroots levels with competitions that sparked joy and ambition:
- Calabar: “Introducing A Girl to Engineering” engaged 100 primary students from three schools.
- Warri: Celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science reached 100 pupils, awarding four scholarships.
- Nationwide “Who Wants to Be an Engineer” competition on May 8th (honouring our late President Engr. Funmilola Kikelomo Ojelade, FNSE): Brought zones together, with Maiduguri, Abuja, and Asaba claiming top spots and three students receiving school fee scholarships.
- Port Harcourt: World Engineering Day’s “STEM FOR ALL” involved 20 schools, granting four winners scholarships.
- Gombe: World Environment Day event saw 10 schools compete, with three winners supported.
Every child left with exercise books, and winners with school bags, symbols of our commitment to equity.
ENHANCE
Professional growth was equally robust.
Professional Development and Webinars
The Town and Gown event connected academia and industry, offering internships, cash prizes, as well as fostering networking with global experts.
Our webinar series was a virtual powerhouse, fostering knowledge and community:
- January: Global careers.
- February: Transformative Capacity-Building Training for Executive members of chapters (Effective leadership, Etiquette, and SOP); and two-weekend free training on “Mastering LaTeX for Professional Writing and Presentations”.
- March: Celebrated the 2025 International Women’s Day, themed “Accelerate Action,” with Dr. Sarah Peer.
- April: Explored turning skills into success and leveraging AI for business with Gabriel Gambo Nmadu.
- May: Delved into risk management with Dr. Evi Viza.
- June: Celebration of the International Day of Women in Engineering (INWED) with the theme, “Together We Engineer: Advancing Women’s Leadership in Engineering” (Keynote: Erika Tovar; Guest speakers: Engr. Valerie Agberagba, FNSE and Engr. Temitope Esther Aboyeji FNIWE).
- July: Partnership with Zambia Women in Engineering Society on leadership.
- August: Health webinar on breast and cervical cancer awareness, underscoring our holistic approach (noting 90%+ survival rates with early detection).
Community and Industry Engagement
Beyond these, we trained primary pupils in basic engineering, advocated for sustainable manufacturing policies, and initiated community projects like water purification systems in rural areas, impacting 500 households.
We’ve also collaborated on research for eco-friendly materials and launched an online innovation hub with 500+ submissions.
The APWEN Town and Gown program has been very successful, and some of our young engineers and students have secured internship positions in reputable companies.
As part of our corporate social responsibility, we empowered local women farmers with seedlings, cassava stems, herbicide and fertiliser. Today, we are proud to receive the product of Garri from the farmers.
We also worked with partners to train about six young engineers on irrigation farming at the Cross River Basin Authority.
Our partnership with the Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (OPS-WASH) has recognized the role of women in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector.
This year, selected APWEN engineers worked on the 2025 Nestle Water Stewardship project, which includes construction and civil work, data collection and evaluation, and even community outreach work. This single project has brought out our broad capacity as APWEN while also setting the country on the right trajectory in terms of its understanding that women are at the core of water and sanitation issues. We will continue to strengthen this partnership in the coming years.
Impacts, Challenges, and Future Goals
The impacts? Profound. We’ve touched over 2,000 lives, boosted STEM interest, awarded scholarships, and promoted gender balance in engineering. The impact is not just for the urban people but the rural dwellers also feel our touch. Our members have secured promotions, started ventures, and influenced policies, contributing to Nigeria’s GDP through innovative manufacturing ideas.
Yet, as we celebrate, we acknowledge challenges: Funding gaps, equipment needs, and the call for more mentorship.
Future Expectations (2026): These fuel our expectations for 2026, a year of expansion. We’ll enhance boot camps with IoT and smart grids, introduce STEM certifications, track long-term impacts, and secure more sponsorships to reach 500 participants. We’ll advocate for apprenticeships, integrate technology in career talks, and launch a women’s engineering innovation fund. Imagine: More scholarships, an all-women tech incubator, and policies ensuring 40% female participation in manufacturing.
EXCEL
APWEN members have excelled in various fields, holding esteemed positions in Nigeria.
Over the next four days, we will:
- Hear from policy experts, industrial leaders, and global voices on how to reposition Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
- Explore exhibitions of groundbreaking innovations developed by engineers and innovators.
- Debate and design strategies for energy efficiency, automation, digital manufacturing, and industrial resilience.
- Engage in networking sessions that connect young engineers with mentors, employers, and investors.
This conference is not just about talk; it is about action. Our resolutions will form a policy and industry advisory document, which APWEN will share with the government and stakeholders.
Dear colleagues, this conference is your platform. Engage with luminaries like the Chairman Engr. Margaret Oguntala, FNSE; Special Guest Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar; Keynote Prof. Nasir Naeem AbdulSalam; and Guest Speaker Mrs. Olubukola Adubi. Network, innovate, and collaborate to revitalize manufacturing.
As APWEN President, my expectation is simple: That we leave Ibadan not only with knowledge but with commitments, partnerships, and a renewed determination to build a stronger, innovative, and inclusive Nigeria.
To our students here today: You are the future, explore mentoring opportunities from these experienced female engineers, learn what is needed to navigate the world which is global and technological. Engage in every session and make your attendance count. Every session you attend, every exhibition you see, is a reminder that you too can shape the destiny of this nation.
To our partners: Let us collaborate to expand apprenticeships, internships, and scholarships.
To our government leaders: Support engineering-led policies that will empower our industries.
Ladies and gentlemen, the future of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector lies not in imported solutions, but in home-grown innovations driven by Nigerian engineers. That is why we are here. That is why we must succeed.
In closing, let us be reminded of the words of our late 16th President, Engr. Funmilola Kikelomo Ojelade, whom we celebrated this year during the International Day of Girls in ICT. She believed in the potential of young women to lead in the digital age, to shape the future, and to drive innovation. Her legacy is a constant reminder that we must continue to break barriers and empower the next generation.
On behalf of APWEN, I declare this conference open.
Thank you.
Long live APWEN.
Long live the engineering profession.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
ENGR. DR. ADEBISI R. OSIM, FNSE, FNICE, FIMC
APWEN PRESIDENT