WIEN Seeks Wider Contract Access as NEXIM Women Oil and Gas Fund Gains Traction

The Women in Energy Network (WIEN) has praised the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) for the performance of its Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund, while urging authorities to widen access to bankable contracts so more women-owned firms can fully use the facility.

At a strategic engagement in Abuja on February 26, WIEN said the fund, supported by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), has produced measurable returns and helped credible women-led businesses operating across Nigeria’s energy value chain.

Even with that progress, the group said utilisation is still below potential. WIEN said the main obstacle is not a shortage of capable women-led companies, but limited access to contracts that meet lending requirements.

“With over 80 verified women-owned businesses in our directory, the challenge is not capacity or interest,” the group said. “The primary constraint is access to qualifying contracts that unlock working capital financing.”

WIEN said many businesses face a structural gap: financing is available on paper, but contracts that qualify for disbursement are harder to secure. Without those contracts, firms cannot draw down available capital or deploy funds at scale.

The network said better procurement visibility and structured contract pathways for women-owned enterprises would improve drawdown rates, expand operations, and deepen local participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

During the meeting, participants also discussed a possible review of the fund’s single obligor limit to allow larger transactions. WIEN said such an adjustment could help qualified entrepreneurs scale operations, acquire major equipment, and move toward asset ownership in the industry.

NEXIM, according to WIEN, reaffirmed support for eligible women-owned businesses and maintained that disbursements continue under the fund’s operating framework.

As an example of impact, WIEN referenced Loyz Marine Services Limited, saying the company shows how structured financing can support sustainable local capacity development.

Both parties also agreed that stronger awareness and advocacy are required so more women-owned firms understand the procedures, eligibility requirements, and access routes tied to the intervention fund.

WIEN repeated the need for continued cooperation with NCDMB to keep local content implementation focused on growth and capacity expansion. The network said improved alignment between contract access and financing access remains central to making the fund work at full scale.

“Opportunity drives capacity,” WIEN said. “When structured access to contracts aligns with structured access to capital, indigenous women-owned enterprises can scale responsibly and compete effectively.”

The organisation said it will continue partnering with NEXIM to strengthen access, increase utilisation of the facility, and expand the participation of women-owned businesses in Nigeria’s energy economy.