Agubata Urges Girls to Break Barriers, Sustain STEM Pipeline

Funmi Ogundare

Former President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) and Deputy General Manager, Terrestrial Services, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Dr. Felicia Agubata, weekend called on girls and women in Science and Engineering to remain fearless, knock on perceived closed doors, and sustain their presence in STEM fields.

Speaking during a virtual APWEN Insight Series titled, ‘Women and Girls in Science and Engineering: Building the Future Pipeline’, Agubata emphasised that retention and sustained advocacy are critical to preventing leakages in the pipeline of female participation in STEM.

She urged women to celebrate themselves and push beyond societal limitations.

“That door you think is closed is actually not closed. It is waiting for you to tap it. Most times, we are afraid to knock because someone has told us it is locked,” she said. “I am unapologetically fearless.”

Agubata shared her personal journey, describing herself as a determined rural girl from Anambra State who grew up in a post-war environment marked by deprivation but strengthened by resilience.

Despite supporting her late mother through petty trading and farm work, she excelled academically and in sports, eventually choosing engineering because of her passion for hands-on problem solving and conceptualising practical solutions.

“Hard work, discipline, community support and commitment to assigned responsibilities enabled my development,” she noted, dedicating her achievements to her late uncle who supported her education.

Agubata paid glowing tribute to APWEN’s six founding members, whom she described as the ‘Fantastic Six’, for laying the foundation of advocacy for women in engineering since the association’s formation in 1982.

Among those she honoured was Joan  Maduka, Nigeria’s first registered female engineer and first female President of the Academy of Engineering in Nigeria.

She also acknowledged pioneering figures such as Margaret Oguntala, the first female President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, and several other trailblazers who have broken barriers across engineering, oil and gas, consulting, and public infrastructure sectors.

She commended APWEN’s multi-pronged initiatives aimed at nurturing girls from primary school through professional stages. She emphasised the association’s ‘Catch Them Young’ programme, scholarship schemes, boot camps, and mentorship initiatives.

Agubata noted APWEN’s landmark achievement in constructing a Science and Technology laboratory at a primary school in Bauchi State,  describing it as the first of its kind by  women engineering body in Africa.

However, she stressed that beyond attracting girls into STEM, retention remains a predictable challenge.

“Many study engineering, but migrate to other fields. We must ensure retention as a critical success factor. There are unending opportunities in STEM. Science is life. STEM is an economic driver, and engineers are problem solvers,” she said.

The former president called for continued collaboration, mentorship, and visibility of female role models to inspire younger generations.

According to her, leadership in engineering must be driven by local success stories that demonstrate what is possible for Nigerian girls.

Earlier in her remarks, the current President of the association, Chinyere Igwebe advised young engineers to take deliberate steps towards building a sustainable and impactful future in the engineering profession.

Igwebe, who declared the programme open, emphasised the importance of intentional learning and active engagement. She noted that the theme of the event was designed to highlight the processes, stages, and foundational building blocks required to nurture and sustain the next generation of engineering professionals.

According to her, “Building the Future Pipeline represents the structured pathway through which aspiring engineers must pass, equipped with the right knowledge, mentorship, and professional values necessary for long-term success.

She expressed confidence that the session would provide valuable insights into professional growth and leadership within the engineering space.