APWEN Lagos Unveils Innovation Lab to Bridge Gender Gap in STEM
* Equip women engineers with global skills
Funmi Ogundare
The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos Chapter, Thursday, unveiled its state-of-the-art innovation and resource hub at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos.
The hub is designed for learning, creativity, and empowerment, particularly for young and aspiring female engineers.
The facility is fully equipped with high-end engineering tools, including 3D printers, CNC machines and digital workstations, offering hands-on experience to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
The lab also boasts over 100 desktop and laptop computers and aims to collaborate with international universities to expand access to global engineering resources.
Speaking at the inauguration, public lecture and award presentation, the Chairperson, Dr. Atinuke Wuraola Owolabi, explained that the initiative was a bold declaration of its commitment towards advancing women in STEM.
She added that the inauguration marked the grand finale of the SHEnovation 2025 programme to equip young women with the tools and confidence to thrive in technology and engineering fields.
According to her, “The innovation and resource hub is not just a space, it’s a launchpad for greatness. We are unveiling hope, nurturing ideas, birthing inventions, and bridging the gender gap in STEM.”
The new hub, Owolabi noted, will focus on hands-on learning in AI, robotics, digital manufacturing and energy.
The chairperson commended the university for its partnership.
Speaking with journalists, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Folasade Ogunsola, also commended the collaborative efforts between the university and APWEN, emphasising that strategic partnerships are essential to preparing students for real-world challenges.
She highlighted the importance of bridging academia and industry. “We are part of the solution,” the VC said. “Universities cannot thrive in isolation. The explosion of global knowledge has shown us that without working with industry, what we call the town, we won’t get it right.”
The lab, she noted, will offer students a space to think, innovate and turn their ideas into practical solutions.
“It is part of a broader initiative at UNILAG, where multiple innovation hubs are being established across disciplines, including the arts, to harness creativity and turn it into economic value.
She acknowledged APWEN’s contribution as a critical part of this vision. “This space will be transformational, not just for now, but for years to come,” she said.
Speaking on the theme, ‘From Circuit Board to SHEnovation: How Young Women Engineers can Code, Create, Conquer and Cash out’, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof Oluwatoyin Ashiru,
emphasised the importance of increasing female representation in engineering, highlighting the goal of 50 per cent women engineers.
He urged young female engineers to shatter the glass ceiling and overcome the fear that leadership is reserved for others.
“Dream big,” he said, encouraging them to lead a bold revolution in their fields.
He emphasised that the choices and actions taken today will shape the future and encouraged the women to take ownership of their work, act with purpose, and build platforms where their voices and talents matter.
“Stand tall, be proud, and cash out by turning your skills into income,” he advised.
The programme witnessed the presentation of awards to young female engineers for their innovation.
Team SmartMaterial led by Success Asokere from Lagos State University, Epe Campus, emerged first with their AI-powered material selection for efficient building design. They smiled home with a cash prize of N200,000.
Their smart glasses for the visually impaired with a built-in camera integrated with AI, allows the device to read text aloud while identifying obstructions.
Team VIREA from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, led by Stephanie Emenike, came second .They won a cash prize of N150,000.
Team Smart CookGuard from the University of Lagos led by Kehinde Adegboye, emerged third with their dualier intelligent cooking safety system, a combination of sensor technology, Artificial Intelligence and automated safety mechanism. The team walked away with a cash prize of N100,000.
