Nigerian engineer and engineering leader, Engr. Joan Nweke, FNSE, FNICE, has been honoured with the Federation of African Engineering Organizations (FAEO) Women Engineers Excellence in Practice Award at the 12th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week (AEW) and 10th African Engineering Conference (AEC) held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The award, presented during the continental engineering gathering, recognizes professional excellence and significant contributions to engineering practice, leadership and the advancement of women within the engineering profession
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Nweke emerged as the recipient after competing with women engineers from different African countries, making the recognition a significant continental milestone for Nigerian engineering.
The 12th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and 10th Africa Engineering Conference took place between September 13 and 18, 2026 brought together more than 1,638 participants from 28 countries, representing Engineering Organizations, Governments, Academia, Industry and International Institutions. The conference was organized by the Institution of Engineers Tanzania (IET) and FAEO, with support from UNESCO and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO).
A Career Built on Engineering Practice and Leadership
Nweke’s recognition comes after more than two decades of professional experience in engineering, particularly in Board Advisory, Oil & Gas and Energy, Engineering Consultancy, Project Management and Business Development
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She currently serves as Engineering Manager at Cakasa Engineering Services Limited and is the Managing Director of The Edge Engineering and Leadership Academy Limited. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Victoria Island Branch, and Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, and contributes to professional engineering development through her involvement in national, continental and women-in-engineering initiatives.
Recognition Beyond Technical Competence
The FAEO Women Engineers Excellence in Practice Award places particular attention on the contribution of women engineers to the profession and the wider development of the continent.
For Nweke, the recognition reflects an approach to engineering that extends beyond delivering projects. It highlights the connection between engineering practice, leadership, professional influence, mentorship and nation-building and most importantly it carries significance beyond an individual award.
It demonstrates the growing visibility of African women who are building careers in engineering practice while simultaneously contributing to professional institutions, mentoring younger engineers and creating opportunities for the next generation.
The recognition of Engr. Joan Nweke at one of Africa’s major engineering gatherings therefore represents not only a personal career milestone, but also another moment of visibility for Nigerian engineering and for African women contributing to the profession.
From engineering practice to leadership, from professional excellence to mentorship, Engr. Joan Nweke’s FAEO recognition in Dar es Salaam marks another chapter in a career increasingly defined by the belief that engineers should not only build projects — they should help build people, institutions and the future of Africa.
