NAIROBI, March 18 – Sub-Saharan Africa is in the midst of a generational change.
Roads are being built across previously inaccessible terrain, power grids are being extended to millions of homes, and digital infrastructure is connecting once geographically isolated economies.
His ambition is staggering. But ambition alone will not be enough if the continent cannot find, train and retain the experts it needs to make it happen, according to a new report released this week by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
The report, part of PMI’s Global Project Management Talent Gap Series, identifies sub-Saharan Africa as the region with the highest growth potential for construction project professionals worldwide.
This number is astonishing. Demand for professionals is expected to grow from about 260,000 in 2025 to more than 410,000 by 2035, a 57% jump than anywhere else on earth. However, supply is not keeping up.
The result is a shortfall of nearly 150,000 qualified professionals, a gap that, if left unchecked, could undermine decades of investment and ambition.
“Construction is at the heart of the region’s development goals. From transport routes and energy infrastructure to housing, healthcare and digital connectivity, projects are how we build our future. But without the right project management capabilities, we risk delays, cost overruns, rework and ultimately loss of value.”
— George Assamani, PMI Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa
Infrastructure Background: PIDA and the $360 Billion Problem
At the heart of this story is the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). It is a continent-wide initiative aimed at closing critical infrastructure gaps by 2040 through more than 400 priority projects across energy, transport, ICT and cross-border water systems. With more than $360 billion in funding, PIDA is more than just a list of projects; it is a blueprint for Africa’s economic integration, industrialization, and long-term growth.
The magnitude of the ambition is matched only by the complexity of its realization.
Infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa involve the most complex ecosystem of stakeholders of any industry, including governments, regulators, private contractors, international financial institutions, local communities, environmental organizations, and development partners, all with competing priorities, schedules, and expectations.
The PMI report warns that the mismatch between these groups is not just a theoretical risk. It is a recurring and costly reality.
GLOBAL CONTEXT Talent challenges are not unique to Africa. PMI estimates that nearly 2.5 million additional construction project professionals will be needed worldwide by 2035.
Globally, demand for all project talent is likely to increase by 64% over the same period, with sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and China leading the surge.
The paradox at the heart of construction
PMI’s report highlights a contradiction familiar to anyone who has worked in African development. That is, construction is one of the most powerful drivers of economic growth, and at the same time one of the most inefficient sectors of the economy.
It creates jobs, builds wealth, and connects communities, but it always wastes resources through delays, rework, and lack of coordination.
According to PMI data, approximately 10% of global project investments are lost each year due to poor performance.
In a region that is deploying hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure, this number is not a rounding error. Billions of dollars are spent on unrealized roads, hospitals, and power lines, and that value never reaches the communities it was supposed to serve.
“Construction is highly visible and under intense scrutiny,” Assamani points out. “Public expectations rest on every bridge, hospital, and power plant. When a project fails, the consequences are not just economic, but social and political as well.”
The skills gap: It’s not just the numbers
It may be tempting to reduce the talent shortage to a problem of employee numbers. Simply hiring 150,000 more people will solve the crisis.
However, PMI’s research reveals that this challenge is as qualitative as it is quantitative. Employers across the region report critical gaps not only in staff numbers, but also in the specific competencies that determine project success or failure.
On the technical side, what is lacking is the scheduling, planning, and resource optimization that is fundamental to project implementation.
On the human side, the gap is equally significant. Communication, collaborative leadership, and stakeholder engagement are cited as persistent weaknesses, creating inconsistencies that turn manageable delays into costly disasters.
Ethiopia is perhaps the clearest example of the surge in demand. PMI forecasts annual demand growth for construction project professionals in Ethiopia to be 7.8%, the highest rate in the world, reflecting the country’s extraordinary pace of infrastructure expansion and the associated urgency to close the skills gap.
Technology as a lever, not a silver bullet
The PMI report points out that digitalization is one of the most promising tools to increase efficiency across Africa’s construction industry.
Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twins, and artificial intelligence are being recognized as key tools for increasing transparency, reducing costly rework, and optimizing resource allocation across complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
However, the report cautions against exaggerating the incident. Sub-Saharan Africa’s construction industry has historically lagged behind other industries in technology adoption, and purchasing software alone won’t close the gap.
Effective use of these tools requires trained project professionals to interpret their output, integrate it into decision-making, and manage the human changes that digitalization always demands.
Sustainability imperative
Infrastructure financing in 2026 looks fundamentally different than it did a decade ago. International funders such as multilateral development banks, sovereign wealth funds, and impact investors are increasingly tying their capital to ESG standards, carbon management, and responsible sourcing practices.
This change creates demand for new categories. Project leaders can incorporate sustainability considerations into delivery from the earliest stages of design, rather than treating them as an afterthought during commissioning.
For a region where infrastructure needs are inseparable from climate vulnerability, this is more than just a compliance exercise.
This is an opportunity to build an infrastructure that is not only transformative, but also resilient. In other words, it is designed to withstand the pressures of a changing climate while meeting the expectations of the global financial community.
call to action
PMI’s conclusion is clear. Closing the construction talent gap requires more than just accelerating hiring.
It requires a deliberate, long-term strategy to retain, develop, and advance project professionals through improved working conditions, continued investment in professional development, and structured career pathways that create visibility and opportunity for new and mid-career practitioners alike.
Professional certifications such as PMI’s Construction Professional Certification (PMI-CP) are part of the solution, giving professionals the tools to manage the increasing complexity of modern infrastructure projects.
But credentials alone are not enough.
What is needed is a cultural shift. The recognition at all levels of government, business and civil society that the people who plan and manage projects are not overhead; they are critical infrastructure beneath the infrastructure.
The strength of an African building is determined by the professionals who provide it. The continent’s infrastructure ambitions have never been more clearly articulated. The clock is ticking for talent to match theirs.
“If we want infrastructure to become a real driver of GDP growth, we need to professionalize the way we deliver it.”
— George Assamani, PMI Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa
260,000
Construction Project Professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa Today (2025)
410,000+
Experts needed by 2035 to meet demand
7.8%
Ethiopia’s annual demand growth rate is among the highest in the world
2.5M
Additional construction professionals needed worldwide by 2035
Christine Odar is a journalist and content creator for CCE NEWS, specializing in construction, infrastructure, and technology trends. She brings insightful analysis and detailed reporting to the field, focusing on the innovations and developments shaping Africa’s built environment.
