Bayo Akomolafe 
Females crane operators at the APM Terminals Apapa are now competing fairly at the Lagos Ports with their male counterparts. They expressed satisfaction with the work environment and opportunities given to them to thrive in their chosen career in a male dominated industry.
A female Mobile Harbour Crane operator at Nigeria’s largest container terminal, Perpetua Onyia, who was at an event organised by the Lagos Port Complex Apapa with the theme: “Embrace Equity,” to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day, said that her success as a crane operator had opened the doors for other women to embrace similar career in the port environment.
Onyia commended the management of APM Terminals for giving her the same opportunities and resources as her male counterparts. According to her, “from day one of stepping into APM Terminals, it has always been a fair and equal chance; nobody is saying you’re a female, you can’t do this.” Also, another female crane operator, Cynthia Chukwuneke, said that the terminal operator had encouraged her to be the best in her chosen career. The Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Olufunmilayo Olotu, advised women in the maritime industry to embrace and support each other in the quest for professional advancement.
She said: “Women need to learn how to celebrate each other’s achievement, educate and raise awareness about women equality. Women need to lobby for accelerated gender parity, work together and help each other advance in their chosen careers.” Since 2019, when the Federal Government approved women working night shifts, APM Terminals Apapa began a concerted effort to create opportunities for women in the male-dominated port operations. Starting with the employment of female crane operators the same year, the company has gone on to introduce more gender friendly policies.
APM Terminals also encourages women to not only aspire for leadership positions but to also undergo specific training programmes designed to position them for management and leadership roles. Senior Human Resource Business Partner, APM Terminals Nigeria, Uzoma Ngozi Ben-Ude said: “In APM Terminals Nigeria, we not only give equal opportunities to both genders, but we also actually go the extra mile to encourage female participation in some of the fields and roles where you have limited participation of females.
