Esso Nigeria advances gender-inclusive procurement in deepwater oil sector

Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) has reinforced efforts to widen procurement channels for women-led firms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, staging direct buyer–supplier engagement to help close gaps between policy pledges and practical access.

According to the report by The Guardian, EEPNL convened a “Meet the Member Buyer” session in Ikoyi, Lagos, bringing together WEConnect International members and certified women-owned enterprises across the e...

nergy value chain. The purpose, company officials said, was to give suppliers a clearer view of procurement expectations and a practical route into a tightly regulated industry where documentation, standards and institutional capacity often determine who wins work.

Etabuko Arbihire, EEPNL’s Executive Director, Development, framed the initiative as more than symbolic. “At Esso, we believe strong partnerships drive sustainable progress. Our Supplier Diversity Programme underscores our focus on creating real opportunities for Nigerian businesses, especially women-owned enterprises that bring innovation, agility, and value to the energy industry,” he said at the event, adding that structured engagement is necessary beyond simply opening vendor registration channels. He also noted that, despite recent divestments from some shallow-water assets by ExxonMobil affiliates, the company remains invested in Nigeria through deepwater operations, including the Erha and Usan fields, and intends to pursue growth across near-, medium- and long-term horizons.

Local capacity development and access to finance were central themes. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) reiterated its support for women entrepreneurs, promising complementary capacity-building and funding pathways to improve competitiveness. According to the NCDMB, the board runs extended workshops to help businesses register and meet industry requirements and has expanded intervention financing for women through initiatives such as the Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund, developed in partnership with the Bank of Industry. The NCDMB’s broader commitment to affirmative action and gender-inclusive policies has been underscored in recent public remarks by the agency’s leadership, which urge mentorship, flexible working arrangements and institutional reforms to tackle unconscious bias.

Speakers at the Lagos session emphasised practical hurdles that often block women-owned businesses from supply chains: weak documentation, limited familiarity with procurement procedures and constrained access to capital. Alexis Emelle, Senior Manager, Capacity Building at the NCDMB, urged firms to strengthen documentation and internal systems so they can meet regulatory and commercial standards required by major buyers.

Industry reporting suggests EEPNL’s move aligns with a growing corporate focus on supplier diversity in Nigeria, with similar engagements highlighted by local business outlets. MSME Africa and The Nation characterised the meeting as intended to produce tangible procurement pathways rather than mere declarations, echoing EEPNL’s message that deliberate, structured interventions are needed to translate diversity commitments into contracts.

EEPNL and the NCDMB said they will continue collaborative efforts to remove barriers that limit access to procurement and finance for women entrepreneurs. Company representatives told participants the supplier diversity programme is part of a broader strategy to deepen local participation and enable women-owned enterprises to scale and integrate into supply chains serving deepwater operations. ExxonMobil’s corporate materials note a continued upstream presence in Nigeria through multiple deepwater blocks, underscoring the potential for supplier opportunities tied to those assets.

Participants at the engagement had the chance to discuss procurement procedures, regulatory expectations and possible growth pathways directly with senior officials from EEPNL and the NCDMB. Organisers described the format as an intentional step toward transparency and improved market access. “The ‘Meet the Member Buyer’ engagement is not just a networking event, it is a deliberate step toward strengthening transparency, improving access to procurement, and advancing Nigeria’s local content objectives,” Arbihire said.

While company and government bodies outlined support measures, the effectiveness of such initiatives will depend on follow-through: sustained capacity building, clearer tendering practices, and accessible finance that matches the scale of opportunities emerging from Nigeria’s deepwater projects. The convergence of corporate supplier programmes and expanded public financing for women suggests momentum, but industry observers say ongoing monitoring will be required to ensure commitments convert into contracts and long-term business growth for women-owned firms.

Source: Noah Wire Services