Mogadishu, Somalia, is witnessing a remarkable construction boom, transforming its urban landscape and providing unprecedented opportunities for women in the engineering field. Among the leaders of this movement are 24-year-old female engineers Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar. Both have taken on significant roles in overseeing over 30 multimillion-dollar projects, contributing to a rapidly changing city that has seen more than 6,000 buildings constructed in the past five years.
The emergence of female engineers in Mogadishu comes against the backdrop of a city striving for modernization after decades of conflict. Civil war has gripped Somalia ever since the government of President Siad Barre collapsed in January 1991. Better security and diaspora investments have led to unprecedented opportunities for women engineers. Today, women like Abdi and Omar are able to find success in an engineering field that remains just 5% female. The Somali Engineers Association is hoping to reinvigorate a profession that experienced a dramatic exodus during the last three decades of warfare.
For Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar, the unfolding opportunities are a step beyond overcoming skepticism and prejudice in their careers. Abdi reflected on her early experiences, noting, “When I started, people doubted me. They would ask, ‘How can we trust a house built by a woman? How can I trust my money and property with a young female engineer?’” Even when overwhelmed by these obstacles, Abdi has shown that women can drive projects forward and help to define the future of a city.
Compared to their childhood experience of pandemonium, both engineers take pride in their roles in Mogadishu’s rebuilding. Omar stated, “When I was young, this city was in chaos. Now, we are part of its reconstruction.” She further emphasized the transformation of Mogadishu: “I believe Mogadishu is a different city compared to the 1990s. The city has changed to a new style, and Mogadishu’s development is in line with the new world.”
Today urban planners in Mogadishu are just as frantically trying to craft the next modern city. They hope they can become a model for effective post-conflict reconstruction in the process—all within five years. High-rise residential development and new commercial infrastructure is changing Mogadishu’s skyline. In many ways, they are the hope and promise to all of their citizens for a bright future.
…but stark environmental and safety concerns are growing with a more urbanized and congested U.S. population. Veteran architect Siidow Cabdulle Boolaay expressed concern with how out of control building would erase the historical identity of Mogadishu. And new construction, particularly multifamily and commercial, is not being built with the foresight necessary to protect from nature’s wrath, or from fire risk, he cautioned. “These tall buildings are not designed to withstand fire or heavy rain, and safety for the tenants is not considered during development,” he commented.
Christophe Hodder warned of long-term environmental repercussions arising from the construction explosion. The lack of a functional sewage network and the uncontrolled drilling of boreholes put our aquifers at risk. These changes are a significant threat to sustainable development practices and experts are urgently warning against them.
Spokesman for the mayor Salah Hassan Omar has attributed new security measures as key in making the construction boom possible. “Security in Mogadishu has improved, leading to an increase in high-rise and commercial buildings,” he stated. This newly found sense of stability has provoked a wave of investment from the diaspora, continuing to drive the large construction boom.
As Fathi Mohamed Abdi aptly put it, “When I walk through the streets and see buildings I helped construct, I feel proud. We are not just building structures; we are building hope.” Artan Ibrahim Abdi Heyle of the Somali Engineers Association echoed that sentiment with fierce urgency. He emphasized that the huge number of infrastructure, energy, and technology projects are adding to the burden and need more women to join the field. “They are not only welcomed but vital in filling critical gaps in the workforce,” he added.