From Developing to Developed: The role of Materials Engineering in the Development of Africa

Written By Stephanie Boadu

•September 14, 2024

Her eyes widen in amazement as she sees the vessel that contains a bit of the sun and the moon hanging from her ceiling— her rain and weevil battered wooden ceiling. “Mama, someone caught the sun and brought it into our house!”, she screams, unable to hide the trepidation and terror at this novelty. To her, the lightbulb which was made centuries ago is a novelty. To that child, and millions like her living in villages and towns that are considered “backward” in Africa, this lightbulb is a novelty.

Science and engineering has proven to be the backbone of the development of any society. Countries in Asia like China, Japan, Singapore used to be termed developing and had noses turned up at them at gatherings until they revolutionised, until they utilised science, allowed it to serve them.

Africa is a continent unarguably rich in resources and potential yet, ironically, is the most underdeveloped society in the world. To be immeasurably rich in resources and yet poor in development raises a big question. Why is Africa not the hub of development? While numerous factors contribute to this issue, one of the crucial elements overlooked is materials engineering. This field, dedicated to the study and design of materials, holds one of the keys to unlocking Africa’s potential and improving its quality of life for its people.

Materials engineering influences many fields that contribute to the development of any nation. These fields include infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, energy and healthcare. Infrastructure is the cornerstone of a society and is indicative of that society’s development. Infrastructure ranges from transport, communication, water and social infrastructure to energy systems. From roads and bridges to buildings and energy systems, the choice and application of materials significantly influence the durability, safety, and efficiency of these structures. Through materials selection and structural design, well-trained engineers can provide great insight into what materials are best to be utilised in the making of the infrastructure, be it railway roads, civilian roads, bridges, etc. Wrong material selection which could be as a result of lack of knowledge will be detrimental in a myriad of ways from loss of lives to economic losses. Over the years we have seen the collapse of bridges. Buildings, dams in many African countries as a result of poor materials selection and maintenance. A recent disaster is what happened with the Maiduguri dam collapse.

Africa has a lot of arable land and, therefore, great potential to be a leading world market in agriculture. Over the decades, the breakthroughs that counties have experienced in their agriculture came as a result of the groundbreaking discoveries they made in science. Agriculture booms in states like China, India, and USA became so, due to the development of innovative material technologies which helped farmers produce more food, reduce waste and also protect the environment.

In the energy sector, materials engineering has enabled the development of renewable energy technologies, such as solar power plants and wind farms. For example, the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex in Morocco and the Kathu Solar Power Plant in South Africa are notable examples of solar power projects that have utilised advanced materials. Additionally, materials engineering has contributed to the development of energy storage solutions and energy-efficient materials.

In the manufacturing and processing sector, materials engineering has been instrumental in the development of advanced materials, such as those used in the automotive industry and mining operations. Examples include the establishment of automotive manufacturing plants by global companies like Nissan and Toyota in Africa and the use of materials engineering for efficient mining and mineral processing. By driving advancements in these sectors, materials engineering is helping Africa to diversify its economy, create jobs, and improve living standards. However, these innovations are merely a tip of the iceberg and not ubiquitous across the continent, as there is still so much that needs doing by us in our society.

Some infrastructural projects where materials engineering played a critical role include the Akosombo Dam found in Ghana, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, Kenya, Solar Power Plants in South Africa, Agricultural Infrastructure Projects like grain silos and irrigation systems in countries like Egypt and Ethiopia. There are many more examples where materials engineering showed itself crucial in the betterment of the living standard of a society.

Applying these materials technology advancement in the agricultural industry in Africa is a path that should have long been threaded. It’s the 21st century, and we are still grappling with the bare minimum. Still grappling with energy fluctuations, with being tagged a third rate continent. Because the one movement that would help in our alleviation is the most neglected. We can have a lot of talks revolving around politics and the million and one projections of wealth Africa would swim in if Africa would do this or do that, but these would always stay a dream until. Until we realise the fettered connection Africa’s liberation has with engineering revolutions, Africa would remain poor, exploited by every foreigner but her natives, and underdeveloped.

Africa is lagging in its materials engineering development and subsequently, the industrial revolution that would follow it for a myriad of reasons. These challenges are cited to be inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of skilled professionals, intellectual property protection issues, economic and political instability and ironically, limited access to finance. But really, the crux of the challenge, the impediment to Africa’s industrial revolution, is the apathetic nature of our leaders. It’s the corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. It is the colonisation that is still evidently going on.

If the societies in Africa would unite in their decision to direct our unlimited financial resources into manufacturing and processing, into research, and investment in training skilled scientist and engineering personnel whose mind wealth would be utilised in the development of Africa, we will soon see a revolution. If Africa would allow itself to stop being puppeteered, told when to eat and how to educate her people, we will soon see a revolution. It is undeniable that the development of Africa is not good news for the oppressor, but it’s high time we put our needs and interests first. It’s high time we understood that the saviour is not coming, the saviour is ourselves.

Stephanie Boadu

Stephanie Boadu is a truly talented writer and poet who is passionate about engineering and science in general. As a Materials Engineering student, she focuses on bridging the gap between eloquent writing and engineering, which are two fields that seem miles parts. Stephanie seeks to do this by telling stories that combine the facts and science behind engineering concepts with the exquisite flow of creative writing that reintroduces these concepts from a more fulfilling and refreshing perspective.