By Oke Peter
In its bid to advance inclusion, celebrate female excellence, and strengthen women's participation across technical and professional sectors, the NNPC Retail Limited (NNPC Retail), a subsidiary of the NNPC Ltd., hosted the second edition of She-Fix 2.0, its flagship, women-focused initiative, in Abuja, on Saturday.
The event, held under the theme "Driving Diversity, Powering Progress", was attended by over 300 women professionals, business owners, young technicians, and energy industry leaders.
In her address, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who described inclusion as central to national growth, called for more opportunities for women in technical and STEM-related fields.
While commending NNPC Retail for its vision in establishing the initiative, the Minister called for sustained collaboration between government and the corporate sector to scale the programme further.
In her keynote address, Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Limited, Sophia Mbakwe, noted that women's contribution within NNPC Ltd. permeates every level, stressing that NNPC Retail, the company's daily point of contact with ordinary Nigerians, is a space where diversity holds significant weight.
Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Huub Stokman, who was represented by Valentina Kojo, Executive Director, Finance, NNPC Retail, stressed that women empowerment must be practical, visible, and sustainable.
In his remarks, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, Andy Odeh, said women in today's energy sector are leading change, building institutions, and shaping the narrative of an industry already in transition. He reiterated that when women lead, value follows, and when value follows, organisations grow and society prospers.
Highlights of the She Fix 2.0 initiative include a panel session, live car care demonstrations, a marketplace showcasing female-led businesses, interactive sessions, networking activities, and special discounts on Oleum Lubricants and NR-GAS LPG products, reaffirming NNPC Retail's commitment to gender equity and inclusion across every part of the energy value chain.
The panel featured five senior women from across energy, finance, technology, and corporate governance namely: Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director, NNPC Foundation; Maryamu Idris, Managing Director, NNPC Trading Limited and OPEC National Representative for Nigeria; Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Officer, Interswitch Limited; Toyin Alasi, Founder and CEO, Money Wise International; and Adaeze Nwakoby, General Manager, Governance, Risk & Compliance, NNPC Retail Limited.
The She-Fix 2.0 initiative builds upon the momentum of the 2025 edition held in Lagos. It symbolises a deliberate expansion of the programme's reach and reaffirming NNPC Retail's commitment to growing a platform which produces lasting outcomes for women across the nation' energy sector.
