The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has partnered with the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula in secondary schools across the country, with a special focus on the girl child. The collaboration was launched at St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, under the “STEM‑it‑out‑4girls” campaign, themed “Interest and proficiency in STEM.”
Representing the NCDMB, Executive Secretary Simbi Wabote, through Deputy Manager of the Capacity Building Division Mofe Megbele, affirmed the board’s readiness to work with APWEN on programmes and policies that enhance capacity development for females. Citing Section 70(n) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, he noted that the board is mandated to conduct workshops and trainings that advance Nigerian content. “There is no local content without human capacity development,” he said, adding that significant progress has been made through the ten‑year strategic roadmaps for the oil and gas industry, which aim to achieve 70 percent Nigerian content by 2027.
Wabote emphasized the critical importance of educating girls, stating that the nation’s advancement depends on the quality of well‑educated young women. An educated girl child, he argued, can address 21st‑century challenges such as peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, food production, and environmental issues. He commended APWEN and assured that the board will continue to support, monitor, and evaluate the growth and performance of female students benefiting from the STEM programme and competitions.
APWEN President Elizabeth Eterigho echoed these sentiments, explaining that the training aims to raise awareness of engineering as a viable career for girls and to increase the number of female engineers in Nigeria. She added that the initiative equips the girl child with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
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