By LOVETH CHIJIOKE, Lagos
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC) have intensified efforts to promote environmentally responsible software development.
The two institutions are seeking to integrate sustainability into software engineering curricula to equip future technology professionals with the skills required to tackle climate change and advance sustainable digital transformation.
The move came to the fore on Monday at the commencement of the third edition of the five-day Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School organised by AFRETEC in collaboration with the UNILAG Software Engineering for Green Deal Africa (SE4GD) Hub, with participants drawn from across Africa and Nigeria.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, AFRETEC UNILAG Network Coordinator, Prof. Ismail Ibraheem, said the programme aligns with the consortium’s mandate of deploying engineering and technology to solve Africa’s developmental challenges through research, teaching and innovation. He explained that AFRETEC, a network of 10 African universities supported by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by Carnegie Mellon University Africa, operates on three pillars of knowledge creation, teaching and learning, and translating research into practical solutions, while ensuring inclusiveness and diversity.
According to him, the summer school is designed to address societal challenges through software engineering, particularly in the areas of sustainability and climate change, while creating opportunities for digital transformation across the continent.
Also speaking, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Software Engineering at UNILAG, Dr. Adewole Usman Rufai, said the programme was aimed at promoting green software engineering and carbon-conscious coding, adding that stakeholders were seeking to make sustainability an integral part of software engineering education.
He said software developers must become more conscious of the environmental impact of digital systems by designing applications that minimise carbon footprints and by leveraging cloud infrastructure powered by renewable energy.
“We want to infuse sustainability into the existing software engineering curriculum. We want Nigeria to be part of the global sustainability drive and ensure that software engineers are equipped with the consciousness required to develop environmentally friendly solutions,” he said.
Professor Ipinimo Oluwafemi of the Department of Systems Engineering, UNILAG, said previous editions of the summer school had produced entrepreneurs and innovators whose solutions had helped industries address emerging challenges.
He noted that participants from countries such as Rwanda and Senegal, as well as universities across Nigeria, converge annually to acquire new skills, build collaborations and develop innovative solutions capable of creating lasting economic and social impact.
The Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School runs from June 22 to 26 and is expected to deepen conversations around climate change, sustainable software architecture and the role of technology in advancing Africa’s development agenda.
Others5 days ago
News5 days ago
News6 days ago