A United States-based Nigerian researcher, Dr Adedeji Afolabi, has identified how the integration of advanced technologies could position Africa as a leader in the future of construction technology and workforce development.

He said that as Africa continues its infrastructure development journey, the integration of advanced technologies in workforce development represents more than technological evolution but embodies a strategic response to the continent’s most pressing industrial challenge.

However, noting the challenges of the workforce crisis, the construction technology researcher lamented how the skilled hands needed to build the continent’s future are becoming increasingly scarce.

The workforce crisis, Afolabi said, represents one of Africa’s most pressing industrial challenges — and perhaps its greatest opportunity for technological transformation.

With a funding gap, a high unemployment rate, and the need for trained professionals, he said the disconnect between educational output and industry prompted him to explore how emerging technologies could accelerate workforce development in the construction sector.

Afolabi shared how he still maintained deep connections to Nigeria’s construction industry, with over 15 years studying how advanced technologies can revolutionise workforce development.

The researcher said his perspective was shaped by witnessing firsthand the paradox of Africa’s construction boom, an unprecedented demand for infrastructure coupled with an alarming shortage of qualified workers to build it.

He said his research focused on two interconnected innovations, digital twin technology and artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can transform how African workers learn, train, and perform construction tasks .

Afolabi said the digital twin technology creates virtual replicas of real-world construction processes, allowing workers to experience and learn from simulated environments before entering actual job sites.

The virtual models, he said, when enhanced with AI algorithms, can identify individual skill gaps, predict equipment failures, and optimise task sequences while monitoring worker safety in real time.

According to him, the research demonstrates that the human-in-the-loop approach can increase productivity by up to 28 per cent while significantly reducing workplace accidents.

“The practical applications extend far beyond theoretical frameworks. AI-powered intelligent tutoring systems can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, providing customised training modules for construction drawing interpretation, safety compliance and digital tool operation,” he said.

Afolabi’s studies showed that integrating sensor-based wearables and computer vision into training environments can reduce training time by 30 to 40 per cent, improve knowledge retention by 50 per cent, and decrease early-career site accidents by up to 45 per cent.

What makes the technologies particularly relevant for Africa, the researcher said, is their potential to address the continent’s unique challenges.

He said: “Construction productivity across Africa lags 30 to 50 per cent behind global standards, according to McKinsey Global Institute research. Digital twin simulations can help African construction managers optimise job site logistics for better material flow, identify high-risk ergonomic movements for workers, match worker profiles with appropriate task assignments, and reduce waste and carbon emissions by up to 20 per cent.”

He said the environmental benefits align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8, focusing on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9, addressing industry, innovation, and infrastructure.

By digitising construction processes, he said the industry would become more attractive to youth, women, and technology-oriented professionals who might otherwise seek opportunities in other sectors.

Stating that the path forward requires coordinated action across multiple fronts, Afolabi advocated for integrating digital twin platforms into engineering and technical institutions throughout Africa, establishing public-private partnerships to deploy AI-based workforce analytics in major construction projects, and fostering cross-border research initiatives to adapt the technologies to local contexts.