At Zutari, we believe in the simple truth that you own it, and get it done, because communities cannot wait. Africa today stands at a watershed moment. Our continent is not destined to lag behind; it has the potential to leap forward. To do so, we must re-prioritise quality infrastructure projects built not merely for the bottom line but for resilience, inclusion, and long-term impact.
The urgency is clear. Despite vast natural and human resources, only around 58% of Africans have access to electricity, leaving more than 600 million people still without power. Even for those connected to the grid, fewer than half enjoy a reliable supply, especially in rural and underserved communities. At the same time, Africa bears a disproportionate economic burden from climate change, losing between 2% to 5% of GDP annually.
Governments across the continent are forced to allocate up to nine percent of national budgets to climate adaptation, while an estimated US $30–50 billion a year is needed for resilience alone. Globally, disasters destroy infrastructure worth up to US $845 billion a year, with up to 20% of that loss occurring in low- and middle-income countries, including African states. The stark reality is that the cheapest infrastructure built today may ultimately prove the most expensive tomorrow. A paradigm shift is overdue.
The measure of success in infrastructure cannot be the lowest initial cost, but rather the durability and depth of its impact. This is evident in projects that deliver multiplier effects and create opportunities far beyond their immediate scope. This demonstrates how infrastructure, when designed for resilience and inclusion, can catalyse local development.
At Zutari, we bridge engineering with empathy. We co-design alongside communities and clients across Africa, embedding resilience, sustainability, and human-centred outcomes into every project. Our approach is rooted in global frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Just Transition framework, and international climate resilience principles. These provide the foundation for infrastructure that not only endures but thrives—designed for people, grounded in evidence, and responsive to Africa’s climate realities and community needs.
In practice, this means engineering small fishing harbours in the Western Cape to withstand coastal storms while enabling local fishing economies to flourish. It means delivering clean energy through the solar PV plants in Malawi, where households are electrified, dependence on imported fuel is reduced, and small businesses gain the power they need to grow.
It means creating dignified and resilient social housing, where carefully designed public spaces strengthen social cohesion and unlock livelihood opportunities. These are not simply contracts executed but are opportunities fulfilled, realised by teams who take ownership and deliver, because communities cannot afford to wait.
The scale of the challenge is immense. Africa requires an estimated US $1.3 trillion a year to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, with at least $50 billion dedicated to climate adaptation. To justify such investment, infrastructure must be built to last. Designed not only to survive, but to thrive under stress.
The call to action is clear. Governments, consultants, development finance institutions, and private clients alike must reframe how they define infrastructure. Moving away from lowest-cost specifications, we need to collaborate on projects that prioritise resilience, inclusivity, lifecycle value, and human dignity. At Zutari, we are committed to this vision. We mean business, but business with purpose. Own it, get it done – because communities cannot wait.
About Zutari:
Zutari, a leading buildings and infrastructure engineering and advisory firm with a proud legacy of over 90 years across Africa and the Middle East. We partner with clients throughout the infrastructure lifecycle, delivering innovative, digitally enabled solutions across sectors like: Buildings, Water, Mining, Energy, Transport and Sustainability. Co-creating locally relevant, globally eminent solutions, we prioritise impact, purpose, and people. At Zutari, we don’t just design infrastructure, we create possibilities, unlock futures, and shape living legacies that uplift communities and redefine what’s possible for generations to come.
For By Ushantha O’Donnell, Commercial Lead, Zutari www.zutari.com
