Oil and gas exploration has the potential to transform Uganda’s economy and society, and women have a vital role to play, explained Guillermo Salarich, business development manager, ABB Energy Industries for India, Middle East and Africa region at the latest issue of Oil Review Africa
Uganda’s nascent oil and gas sector has been a major beneficiary of foreign direct investment into the East African country in recent years. Planned oil and gas projects in Uganda represent a total investment of US$12bn and sector revenues are forecast to reach around US$4bn a year by 2030.
Despite recent efforts to encourage more women to enter the oil and gas industry in Uganda, they remain largely under-represented. This is reflective of the situation in Africa at large, where only 8% of the oil and gas workforce is female, compared with the global average of 15%.
Recognising this imbalance, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has called for greater gender inclusivity in the sector as a way to encourage economic and social development within the country.
ABB, which has a base in Uganda, and whose local workforce is 40% female, is committed to helping the PAU and the government of Uganda develop a roadmap that encourages and nurtures females from an early age into engineering, technology and energy roles, localises the market, upskills and trains the local workforce, creates jobs, and fosters the next generation of leaders and engineers.
ABB diversity initiatives
In September 2020, ABB launched its global diversity and inclusion strategy with the target of doubling the number of women in senior management roles. Diversity isn’t just restricted to gender, of course, and ABB is also committed to attracting people of different ethnicities, ages and abilities.
ABB is leading by example in Uganda, nurturing and developing a diverse range of talent, providing technologies that drive energy efficiency and low carbon operations, and promoting in-country economic growth. A key part of this is supporting the development of diversity and inclusion initiatives in the country.
Read the full article on the latest issue of Oil Review Africa
