The final episode of Volume 9 of the Constromart Knowledge & Experience Series centered on the realities of infrastructure delivery beyond technical execution, exploring the human, operational, and leadership pressures that shape project engineering across Africa. The session, titled “Projects, People and Pressure: Real Lessons from an African Project Engineer,” was led by Engineer Rizwan Sayed Qadri, Immediate Past President of FIDIC Africa and Managing Director of RIZ Consulting Services Limited, who drew from over 38 years of experience delivering infrastructure projects across the continent.
Setting the tone for the discussion, Eng. Qadri emphasized that successful project delivery extends far beyond technical competence. While engineering knowledge remains essential, he noted that resilience, adaptability, teamwork, communication, ethical conduct, and leadership are equally critical in navigating the realities of infrastructure projects. He explained that many of the most valuable lessons in project delivery are not learned in classrooms, but through field experience, difficult decisions, and managing people under pressure.
The session highlighted the operational realities that frequently complicate infrastructure delivery in Africa. Eng. Qadri discussed recurring challenges including incomplete designs, survey inaccuracies, logistics constraints, budget limitations, delays in materials and equipment, adverse weather conditions, and limited skilled labor. He noted that client-driven changes and stakeholder expectations often force project teams to make adjustments during execution, while geotechnical conditions on site can differ significantly from assumptions made during design stages. These realities, he explained, require engineers to remain flexible, solution-oriented, and prepared to make informed decisions in dynamic environments.
A significant part of the conversation focused on leadership and people management in project delivery. Eng. Qadri stressed that projects are ultimately built by people, making communication, emotional intelligence, trust-building, collaboration, conflict resolution, and professionalism essential leadership skills for engineers. He emphasized the importance of listening, maintaining ethical standards, documenting decisions carefully, and communicating early during crises to reduce confusion and maintain team confidence. According to him, poor coordination and ineffective communication remain among the leading causes of project failure.
The discussion also examined the various forms of pressure encountered on infrastructure projects. Eng. Qadri identified poor planning, budget shortfalls, equipment breakdowns, operational interruptions, emergencies, regulatory inspections, and unexpected technical failures as some of the most common sources of pressure faced by project teams. He explained that managing pressure effectively requires calm leadership, fact-based decision-making, proactive communication, and prioritizing safety above schedules or commercial demands. He further encouraged engineers to document incidents and lessons learned, describing pressure not only as a challenge, but also as an important process for developing professional maturity and leadership capacity.
To illustrate these realities, Eng. Qadri shared practical lessons from several major infrastructure projects across Africa. One example was a coastal protection project at Blue Bay in Zanzibar, where the team used locally available materials such as PVC-coated gabions, coconut-stem piles, and coral boulder drains to address shoreline erosion and littoral drift. The project demonstrated the importance of understanding local environmental conditions and adapting engineering solutions accordingly, with the intervention remaining effective for over 15 years.
Another case also explored the Tisabay Hydropower Project in Ethiopia, which presented combined hydraulic and seismic design challenges alongside political, environmental, and access constraints. Engineer Qadri explained that the project required complex rock anchorage in basalt formations, careful environmental mitigation linked to Nile agreements, and remote coordination due to security concerns that limited site access. Reflecting on the experience, he emphasized the importance of returning to engineering fundamentals, relying on mentorship, and working collaboratively when handling unfamiliar technical challenges.
In concluding the session, Eng. Qadri encouraged young engineers to cultivate attention to detail, maintain proper field records, seek mentorship, and develop strong communication and leadership skills alongside technical expertise. He also advised African consulting firms to prioritize collaboration, participate actively in professional associations, and use joint ventures strategically rather than overextending beyond their capacity.
