By Aoma Keziah,
The Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) has convened over 1,000 delegates for the sixth edition of the Engineering Partnerships Convention in Nairobi, marking a milestone in the nation’s push to align its engineering profession with global standards.
Themed “Engineering a Digital World,” this year’s convention signals EBK’s intensified efforts to position Kenya for membership in the prestigious Washington Accord a move that would allow Kenyan engineers to practice internationally under mutual recognition agreements.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno, the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, emphasized the critical role of engineering in national and continental progress.
“This year’s theme, Engineering a Digital World, could not be more timely, It mirrors Kenya’s Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), AU Agenda 2063, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At the core of all these frameworks is a call for innovation, resilience, and inclusive development—principles deeply rooted in engineering,” he said
He further stated that Kenya has made commendable progress in building engineering capacity. We now have over 37,000 trained engineers, with the number of professional engineers increasing.
“We now have over 37,000 trained engineers. The number of professional engineers has increased From 2,700 to over 4,000 in just three years. I commend the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) and the Commission for university Education (CUE) for achieving 100% accreditation of engineering programmes in 15 local universities. However, we must ensure that all graduates transition into structured training. I call on all infrastructure ministries, county governments, and private sector partners to support 100% coverage of Graduate Engineer (GE) training, aligned with the national target of 10,000 trained, industry-ready engineers by 2028,” remarked PS Ng’eno.
The four day gathering has brought together engineering professionals, policymakers, and academics from over 12 countries, including the UK, Egypt, South Africa, India, Jordan, and several East and Central African nations. Over 40 engineering firms and agencies are participating, underscoring the industry’s growing role in shaping the region’s digital and infrastructural future.
“We urge all counties to transition from manual systems and fully embrace digital platforms for engineering project submission and management,” said IEK President, Eng. Shammah Kiteme.
EBK Registrar and CEO, Eng. Margaret Ogai, appreciated recognise their sponsors and exhibitors for their support, highlighting the series of pre-convention events that set the tone for the Engineering Partnership Convention.
“There were a series of events that set set tone for this convention; These events included a tree planting exercise, the tour of Konza Technopolis, and mentorship sessions for both graduate engineers and high school students,” she explained.
In a significant show of its commitment to the next generation, EBK has also invited over 300 high school students for mentorship sessions and is engaging more than 500 graduate engineers through capacity-building workshops.
All throughout the event , delegates will be engaging in sessions ranging from sustainable infrastructure and climate-resilient systems to emerging technologies in digital manufacturing and smart cities. The convention has become a key platform for policy dialogue, cross-border collaboration, and the reimagination of Africa’s engineering capacity in a digital age.
