Solar Sister, a women-centred social enterprise that empowers rural communities with access to clean energy, yesterday announced that it had so far trained and created economic opportunities for 12,000 women entrepreneurs across Nigeria and other African countries.
Speaking in Abuja at a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Project Launch and Stakeholder Event, Chief Executive of Solar Sister, Olasimbo Sojinrin, said the organisation remains at the intersection of women’s economic empowerment, energy access, and climate action across the continent.
The Solar Sister STEM career launch, the group said, is a flagship event designed to kick off a nationwide initiative focused on empowering 300 girls aged 11–14 from all-girls secondary schools across six Nigerian states, including Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Enugu, Kano, and Kwara to pursue careers in STEM.
This roundtable engagement, she said, serves as a catalytic meeting of education leaders, clean energy stakeholders, development partners, government agencies, and industry champions to deliberate on the importance of gender inclusion in STEM education.
For 15 years of its existence, she explained that the organisation headquartered in the US, has been building a network of women entrepreneurs in different communities who are distributing a range of clean energy products, including solar lamps, solar home systems, and clean cooking products.
“And a lot of times, these women are the only access point for clean energy in their communities. And when we started 11, 12 years ago in Nigeria, there were many communities that never touched and felt what solar is,” Sojinrin stated.
In her intervention, the Executive Secretary, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), Dr Oluwatosin Akande, said the association amalgamates all the renewable energy developers, enterprises, operators, providers and original equipment manufacturers.
She stated that the event was a testament to the shared commitment to building an inclusive, innovative, and resilient Nigeria, one where young girls are equipped, inspired, and empowered to lead in STEM.
“The journey to a sustainable energy future is not only about technology or infrastructure, it is equally about people. And more specifically, it’s about girls getting a seat at the table, girls being trained in the classroom, and young females leading in the field and in the boardrooms.
“By intentionally targeting girls aged 11 to 14 through mentorship, digital tools, and hands-on learning, we’re making a bold and necessary investment in gender equality and female economic empowerment,” she said.
Also speaking, Media and Communications Manager, ExxonMobil, Ozemoya Okorodion, stated that with funding support from ExxonMobil Foundation, the programme aims to inspire, educate, and empower young students across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to pursue careers in STEM.
“Studies show that programmes directed at enabling women to reach their full potential transform not only their lives, but also the lives of those around them. They lead to stronger families, stronger communities, and stronger nations as well.
“Secondly, we see that by driving the interest of the girl child in the study of STEM, we have to nurture the next generation of women leaders and innovators. By investing in young minds through STEM education, we get to support the future of Nigeria as a country capable of thriving at a global scale and addressing global challenges,” he pointed out.
In a presentation, Operations Manager, Solar Sister, Blessing Ekanem, said that since inception, the organisation has been able to give over 5.5 million people access to clean energy, while over 12,000 women entrepreneurs have been empowered.