The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos Chapter, has launched a new mentorship programme to help young female engineers secure jobs and eventually grow into employers themselves.
The programme, called the SheEngineers Consultancy Apprenticeship Programme (SECAP), was officially launched online on Friday to mark International Youth Day.
APWEN introduced the first cohort of SECAP in partnership with the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN).
Chairperson of APWEN Lagos, Dr. Atinuke Owolabi, said the programme will give young female engineers industry-level training, preparing them to become experts and leaders in the future.
She explained that initiatives led by women would play a key role in shaping Nigeria’s engineering sector and economic growth.
“We are sending a strong message that the future of engineering will be inclusive, diverse, and powered by the brilliance of women,” she said.
Dr. Owolabi added that SECAP will allow young female engineers to train directly with established consulting firms, with opportunities to be absorbed into their teams.
“So far, 200 young female engineers have registered. Through mentorship, we are giving them the tools and confidence to succeed in consulting engineering,” she said.
She also revealed that the Dangote Group had already hired more than 20 APWEN-trained young engineers through its Graduate Trainee Programme, showing APWEN’s success in creating real career pathways.
Dr. Owolabi praised ACEN President, Mr. Kam-Selem Bukar, for supporting gender inclusion in engineering and for co-hosting the SECAP launch. She also commended APWEN’s pioneer members for their dedication to the association’s growth.
In his keynote speech, Bukar stressed that Nigeria’s progress depends on strong engineering solutions in areas such as infrastructure, energy, water, housing, transport, and digital technology.
He noted that while many women study STEM courses, they remain underrepresented in senior technical and consulting leadership roles.
“This gap is caused by barriers such as limited sponsorship and dependence on informal networks for project opportunities and career growth. SECAP is our response to that challenge,” Bukar said.
He praised APWEN’s vision of helping women engineers reach leadership positions and technical excellence, which he said matches ACEN’s mission of strengthening engineering practice in Nigeria.
Also speaking, ACEN Managing Director, Mrs. Funmilayo Kadiri, said the partnership with APWEN would help build a strong foundation for Nigeria’s future engineers.
She encouraged the young engineers to see the profession as both challenging and rewarding, assuring them that obstacles can also create opportunities.
Kadiri urged mentees to fully embrace the guidance of mentors, who will inspire, support, and sometimes push them beyond their limits.
She thanked the mentors for sharing their time and knowledge, adding that their impact on young women in engineering would last for many years to come.
