Women have a critical role to play in advancing Africa’s oil and gas industry. Female participation in the energy sector remains low, and increased inclusivity across every level and within the entire energy value chain is crucial to ensure the continent’s development is ensured.

During the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power (https://bit.ly/3F6EQcf) Conference & Exhibition 2021, organized by Energy Capital & Power, taking place in Dakar on 2-3 December, one of the key round table discussions will focus on the role of women in oil and gas, and renewable energy and their contribution to the global uptake of the energy transition.

There are a growing number of women who are influential at International Oil Companies and in the public sector. Senegal’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, H.E. Aissatou Sophie Gladima, is an inspiration for women who want to pursue careers in energy; and Meg O´Neill, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Woodside Petroleum and Dr. Fatima Dia, Permanent Secretary of the Council for Renewable Energies in Senegal are role models for women in Africa’s energy sector.

“The role of women in the sector, particularly in Africa, will be highlighted during MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2021. Female participation in the continent’s energy sector as a whole is imperative for the advancement of the sector and the role of women throughout Africa’s energy value chain is one of the key topics that will be unpacked at the event,” Energy Capital & Power International Conference Director, MSGBC, Sandra Jeque says.

Thanks to the leadership of H.E. President Macky Sall and the Plan Senegal Emergent, the country is already far ahead of many others in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of the number of women in high level government positions. As Senegal prepares for a future as a major oil and gas producer when the world-class discoveries made offshore during 2014-2016 begin commercial production in 2023, it expected that women will play an ever more important role in the energy sector´s development.