UNILAG and AFRETEC Promote Green Software Engineering to Combat Climate Change

Funmi Ogundare

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

The initiative was highlighted at the opening of the third edition of the five‑day Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School. The event, organized by AFRETEC in partnership with the UNILAG Software Engineering for Green Deal Africa (SE4GD) Hub, will run from June 22 to 26.

The summer school aims to deepen discussions on climate change, sustainable software architecture, and the role of technology in advancing Africa’s development agenda.

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

He noted that AFRETEC, a network of ten 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.”

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 added 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 at UNILAG noted that previous editions of the summer school produced entrepreneurs and innovators whose solutions enabled industries to tackle emerging challenges.

He observed that participants from countries such as 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.