African Youth Urged to Pursue Engineering for Sustainable Development

African youth are being called upon to embrace engineering as a pivotal force for development and innovation across the continent. At the 10th annual UNESCO Africa Engineering Week – High-Level Workshop in Nairobi, Eng. Maureen Mwaniki, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya, highlighted the urgent need for a surge in young engineers to address the critical shortage affecting Africa and beyond.

Eng. Mwaniki expressed concern over the declining interest in engineering among young people, particularly women. She pointed out that while there is an abundance of experienced engineers nearing retirement, there is a significant gap in the number of young engineers entering the field. “Our ability to sustain the profession depends on how many young people choose engineering as a career,” she said.

The future of Africa, according to Eng. Mwaniki, hinges on its youth engaging in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, with a particular focus on engineering. This sector is essential for addressing some of the continent’s most pressing issues, including infrastructure development, clean energy, and climate resilience.

“The growing demand for infrastructure, clean energy solutions, and climate adaptation provides a unique opportunity for engineers to drive Africa’s path toward sustainable growth. We need to make more concerted efforts to attract younger individuals, especially women, to the profession,” she added.

Huawei is actively working to address this challenge through initiatives such as Seeds for the Future and the ICT Competition, which aim to expose women engineers to cutting-edge technologies and empower them to develop solutions for their communities.

UNESCO Africa Engineering Week serves as a vital platform for government officials, industry leaders, and academic experts to discuss policy frameworks and collaborative efforts that can advance engineering education and innovation across Africa. The week-long event is celebrated annually and seeks to raise awareness about the importance of engineering solutions for societal advancement.

This year’s celebration is hosted by the Ordem dos Engenheiros de Angola in Luanda, Angola, and is organized in collaboration with UNESCO, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO). The event will feature several key activities, including the 8th Africa Engineering Conference, the 7th Africa Women Engineers Forum, the Young Engineers Forum, and a Business-to-Business (B2B) session.

These activities will address themes such as sustainability, innovative infrastructure, the acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, and the development of engineering education and capacity building.

“The theme for this year, ‘Engineering for Sustainable Development,’ underscores the pressing need for technical solutions to tackle challenges like climate change, infrastructure development, and digital transformation,” Eng. Mwaniki emphasized.

By fostering a greater interest in engineering among the youth, Africa can leverage its young talent to drive progress and innovation, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous future for the continent.