The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has reaffirmed its commitment to capacity development among female engineers as part of efforts to strengthen skills and close gaps in the engineering profession.

The new Chairman of the Victoria Island Chapter of APWEN, Nneamaka Ekechukwu, pledged during her inauguration and public lecture organised by the chapter in Lagos.

Ekechukwu urged female engineers to join the professional body to enhance their capacity, acquire relevant skills and improve their participation in the engineering sector.

She said APWEN was founded on the conviction that women working together could transform the engineering profession, industries and society.

According to her, members of the association have, over the years, broken barriers, challenged stereotypes and created opportunities for young female engineers.

“APWEN has been an advocate for advancing the professional development of practising female engineers, technologists and scientists, inspiring young girls to study science and engineering, and mentoring engineering students through seminars and conferences to ensure retention post-graduation,” she said.

Speaking on the theme, “A Global Call for Climate Action,” Ekechukwu said urgent and deliberate action was needed to address rising temperatures, flooding, waste pollution, energy poverty and other climate-related challenges.

She noted that climate action was no longer a future ambition but a present responsibility for engineers, stressing that engineering solutions were critical in addressing environmental threats.

“Engineers have been championing renewable energy solutions in our rural communities, building drainage systems. We are called to act. We must move beyond conversation to practical, measurable interventions,” she said.

In a presentation titled, “Climate Action Now: The Strategic Role of Women Engineers in Building a Sustainable Future,” a founding member of APWEN, Olufenmilayo Kadri, said governments, industries, professionals and communities across the world were confronted with the challenge of securing a liveable future for coming generations.

She said the answer lies in decisive climate action, adding that environmental challenges were no longer predictions but realities visible in rising temperatures, flooding, coastal erosion, pollution and biodiversity loss.

“Nowhere are these challenges more visible than in rapidly urbanising coastal cities such as Lagos. Yet it also illustrates the environmental pressures that accompany rapid growth. As professional engineers, we understand that development and environmental stewardship are not opposing goals. They must work together,” Kadri said.

She noted that future cities would not be measured only by the height of buildings or scale of investments, but by their sustainability, resilience and ability to protect people and the environment.

Kadri emphasised that engineers must remain at the centre of climate action, adding that solving global challenges requires diverse perspectives, inclusive leadership and innovative thinking.