Date: July 29, 2021
Time: 9.30 am WAT
Location: Virtual event
Registration: Please register here.

Background

Women are a key part of the solution to scaling up energy access. This is especially true in underserved communities across Nigeria. As household energy managers, distributors, entrepreneurs, trainers and technicians – women are in a unique position to connect with communities, increase awareness, deliver sustainable energy products and trusted services.

At the same time, addressing women’s energy needs is a prerequisite for poverty eradication. By selling, maintaining and financing sustainable energy products and services, women become active change agents in the energy sector. To advance the role of women in Nigeria’s sustainable energy sector, it is vital that key stakeholders mainstream innovative approaches to proactively engage women in their efforts. There is also the need to proffer solutions to some of the barriers that are hindering more deliberate engagement of women in the sector.

It is our goal that the outcome of this intervention will aid to bring systemic shifts in the way women are engaged at the intersection of energy, access, economic empowerment, livelihoods and sustainable development movements. The hybrid event which will be held online and in-person will have stakeholders from the government, private sectors, manufacturers, civil society, financial institutions, women entrepreneurs, development partners, as well as other industry leaders. This event will not only collate best practices for gender inclusivity, but will also serve as an opportunity for CSOs, for-profit organizations and others in the energy sector (less experienced with gender-related work) to begin addressing gender equality in the energy sector.

This event will address the following questions:

• What are the opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the clean energy value chain?
• What are the prospects of having more women energy entrepreneurs?
• What must happen to unlock these opportunities?

The session will see the participation of ENERGIA’s Programme Manager, Silvia Sartori.

About the organiser: Solar Sister

Solar Sister’s award-winning model eradicates energy poverty by empowering women with sustainable energy driven economic opportunity. Solar Sister Nigeria, headquartered in Lagos, combines the breakthrough potential of solar and clean cooking technologies with a woman-centered last mile distribution network to bring light, hope and opportunity to communities across Nigeria. www.solarsister.org

For more information, please read this blog post by Solar Sister.