Nnenna Azu

Nigerian educator who established the first girls' schools in West Africa's oil regions

Nnenna Azu (1917-1972) was a groundbreaking educator from the Niger Delta region who created educational opportunities for girls in oil-rich communities. In 1943, she founded the Azu Girls Academy in Port Harcourt, Nigeria - the first boarding school in West Africa's oil-producing regions dedicated to female education. Her pioneering curriculum combined traditional studies with technical training in petroleum engineering basics, preparing young women for roles in Nigeria's emerging oil industry. Azu developed a scholarship program funded by local oil companies, enabling over 500 girls from impoverished backgrounds to attend. She later established the Nigerian Women in Energy Network in 1960, connecting female graduates with industry employers. Her 1957 publication Bridging the Gap became a foundational text for gender equity in STEM fields. During the Biafran War, she maintained school operations by organizing mobile classrooms in conflict zones. The Azu Legacy Foundation continues her work today, having trained over 10,000 female engineers across Africa.