Audrey Joe-Ezigbo Calls for Sustained Momentum in Appointing Women to Lead Energy Firms as Industry Marks IWD 2026

The Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Corporation Limited, Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, has called on Nigeria’s energy industry to deepen its commitment to appointing women to top leadership positions, particularly across the gas value chain, as the sector commemorates International Women’s Day 2026.

Audrey made this call as part of the global celebration of women’s social, economic, and political achievements. She highlighted the growing presence of female chief executives and managing directors in Nigeria’s energy sector, describing it as a pivotal transformation in the industry’s leadership structure, which has long been dominated by men.

She reflected on the remarkable progress made by women who have assumed top leadership roles in the energy sector at the turn of this decade. She highlighted trailblazers and key national energy leaders, including Mrs. Olu Arowolo Verheijen, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, whose policy advocacy has helped elevate strategic dialogue on energy reforms and sector investment, and Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, the newly confirmed Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), whose leadership represents a historic milestone in regulatory governance and a strong signal of inclusive industry stewardship.

She also celebrated the rise of influential female energy leaders, including Folake Soetan, Managing Director of Ikeja Electric; Jennifer Adighije, Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company; Wola Joseph-Condotti, Interim CEO of Eko Electricity Distribution Company; Elozino Olaniyan, Chief Executive of Midwestern Oil & Gas Company; and distinguished upstream industry figures such as Catherine Uju Ifejika of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited and Seinye Lulu-Briggs of Moni Pulo Limited.

According to her, the willingness of boards and shareholders to elevate women into the highest decision-making roles signals maturity within the industry and a growing recognition that competence, discipline, and vision are not gendered attributes.

“Each of these appointments sends a powerful message beyond boardrooms and balance sheets,” Audrey  said. “It signals to the world that Nigeria’s energy sector is prepared to compete on the strength of its full talent pool. It signals to investors that governance and leadership selection are becoming more merit-driven. And most importantly, it signals to the girl child that there is no part of the energy value chain that is beyond her reach, not the control room, not the trading desk, not the executive suite.”

She commended the organisations that have taken what she described as “bold and forward-looking decisions” to entrust women with complex, capital-intensive operational mandates, adding that such choices strengthen institutional credibility and long-term sustainability.

Audrey emphasised that the gas sector, in particular, stands at a pivotal moment as Nigeria advances its industrialisation and energy security agenda through expanded domestic gas utilisation. She noted that leadership diversity must accompany infrastructure expansion if the sector is to deliver resilient growth.

“As we build pipelines, scale distribution networks, and finance critical gas infrastructure, we must also build leadership systems that reflect inclusion and foresight,” she said. “Gas is central to Nigeria’s transition story. The leadership shaping that story must reflect the diversity of the nation it serves.”

She added that the current decade presents a rare opportunity to reset expectations around who leads energy institutions, urging boards, regulators, and investors to institutionalise inclusive succession planning rather than treat female leadership appointments as isolated milestones.

“At Falcon, we see inclusion not as a campaign theme but as a governance principle,” she stated. “The progress we are witnessing across the sector should not be episodic. It should be sustained, measurable, and irreversible.”

She concluded that International Women’s Day 2026 offers the industry an opportunity not only to celebrate achievements but also to consolidate momentum and ensure that the next generation of female engineers, economists, and energy executives inherits a sector defined by merit, opportunity, and equal access to leadership.