Funmi Ogundare

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC), have stepped up efforts to promote environmentally responsible software development, with plans to integrate sustainability into software engineering curricula to equip future technology professionals with skills needed to address climate change and drive sustainable digital transformation.

The initiative was highlighted recently at the opening 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.

The summer school, which which will run from June 22 to 26, is expected to deepen discussions on climate change, sustainable software architecture and the role of technology in advancing Africa’s development agenda.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, AFRETEC UNILAG Network Coordinator, Prof. Ismail Ibraheem, explained that the programme aligns with the consortium’s mandate of leveraging engineering and technology to address Africa’s developmental challenges through research, teaching and innovation.

He stated that AFRETEC, a network of 10 African universities supported by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by Carnegie Mellon University Africa, focuses on knowledge creation, teaching and learning, and translating research outcomes into practical solutions, while promoting inclusiveness and diversity.

According to him, “the summer school is designed to tackle societal challenges through software engineering, particularly in the areas of sustainability and climate change, while creating opportunities for digital transformation across the continent.”

In his remarks, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Software Engineering at UNILAG, Dr. Adewole Usman Rufai, said the programme seeks to promote green software engineering and carbon-conscious coding, stressing that sustainability should become an integral part of software engineering education.

He noted that software developers must be more aware 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.

Prof. Oluwafemi Ipinimo of the Department of Systems Engineering, UNILAG, said that previous editions of the summer school produced entrepreneurs and innovators whose solutions enabled industries to tackle emerging challenges.

He noted that participants from countries including Rwanda and Senegal, as well as universities across Nigeria, gather annually to acquire new skills, forge collaborations and develop innovative solutions capable of generating lasting economic and social impact.