Geosciences crucial for Africa’s new strategic importance

The geosciences are enhancing Africa’s status and strategic geopolitical importance in the just energy transition as the continent’s abundant natural resources attract increasing attention.

Africa has unique geological features, including some of the planet’s oldest rocks, large mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, and some of the most extreme climates and environments.

Geosciences refer to the study of the earth’s materials and processes. Geoscientists work with minerals, soils, energy resources, fossils, oceans and freshwater, the atmosphere, weather, environmental chemistry, and biology and natural hazards.

Africa’s importance in the just energy transition has been elevated by the impact of climate change due to global warming, with the World Meteorological Organization declaring 2024 the hottest year on record.

Fossil fuels are the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Support for a fast and far-reaching phase-out of fossil fuels and a transition to clean (renewable) energy is mounting around the world.

Efforts to combat climate change include reducing greenhouse gas emissions; Africa is at the centre of the climate crisis because of its natural resources – in the extractive industry and the oil and gas sector – where geosciences have a critical role to play.

New frontier for ‘transition minerals’

Addressing the global climate emergency has led to increased demand for renewable energy technology, particularly in the Global North, including electric vehicles and the batteries required to power them. Africa is one of the new frontiers in the race for battery metals, specifically lithium, now one of the most sought-after commodities.

For generations, African nations have been exploited for their minerals and, as the demand for ‘transition minerals’ increases, there is the danger of history repeating itself. Geosciences can help prevent this unfortunate scenario. That’s why universities in Africa are beginning to pay greater attention to studies in this discipline.

Geosciences in Africa

The appeal of geoscience education has not grown at Kenyan universities, however, says Professor Beneah Odhiambo, a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and vice-president of the Geological Society of Africa, Eastern Africa.

Odhiambo blames the low number of geoscience students at Kenyan universities on two main factors. One, the general lack of awareness at high school level that these are ‘professional’ degree programmes worth pursuing as a career.

The second reason is that there are only four Kenyan universities offering such programmes – the University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, South Eastern Kenya University, and the TUK, which has developed a geology and mining degree programme that has yet to be rolled out. Coupled with these two concerns are the lack of academic staff and funding.

Odhiambo says geosciences are doing better elsewhere in Africa, judged by student numbers. This is mainly because programmes are offered at high school level. Nigeria and South Africa also have established programmes in historically advantaged institutions (HAIs) such as the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Cape Town, Rhodes University and Stellenbosch University.

In historically disadvantaged institutions, or HDIs, like the University of Venda and the University of Limpopo in South Africa, geoscience programmes are struggling with low student numbers and a lack of qualified academic staff and equipment. In Botswana, the status of geoscience programmes mimics the HAIs in South Africa.

The HAIs in South Africa and Botswana and universities in northern African countries like Egypt and Morocco are doing well in terms of funding and student numbers.

“Due to the awareness of environmental issues, the main courses that attract [geoscience] students in Kenya are environmental sciences, geomatics, and GIS [geographic information systems] courses,” says Dr Christine Omuombo, a geoscientist, climate and environmental expert on sustainable mining and policy and a lecturer and researcher at the Technical University of Kenya.

What courses are on offer?

In 2020, Geology for Global Development, or GfGD, carried out two studies for Eastern and Southern Africa on geosciences education and the courses and programmes offered, which revealed 97 courses at undergraduate level, 82 masters courses, and 20 courses for diplomas and others.

A more detailed study in Kenya in 2021 showed that the courses ranged from short courses (40) to certificates (13), diplomas (28), bachelor degrees (4-5 years), and postgraduate (1-2 years).

These courses are linked to geoscience fields such as environmental sciences, remote sensing, water resources and disaster management offered at all levels from short courses to postgraduate level.

“While this is great,” says Omuombo, “the study of resources such as rocks, water, oil and gas, and minerals is offered in less than 10 institutions at all levels. This is where a lot of expertise is needed to address issues such as the energy transition, groundwater resources (as surface water is scarce), and oil and gas potential. These are taught in geology courses – foundational geoscience courses that provide an understanding of Earth’s resources and processes.”

She says there has been dwindling enrolment of women in geology courses. Female faculty members are under-represented in most geoscience departments and females are also less represented in senior ranks such as professors or associate professors compared to their male counterparts.

Explaining the gender gap

“The factors behind this are rather speculative as detailed studies have not been carried out to understand the barriers that hinder the progress of women in this sector,” Omuombo says.

There is a need to know how to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 5 that aims to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.

With urbanisation, more engineering geologists are needed as they provide detailed technical analysis of soil, rock, groundwater and natural conditions, as well as hazard assessments to determine the suitability of infrastructure or construction development such as roads, buildings, railways and housing. Geologists receive specialised training in these issues and later specialise in many fields.

Geological societies exist globally to bring together geoscientists (mainly geologists and geology-related fields) and play a crucial role in advancing geosciences through scientific research and knowledge, professional development, public policy and advocacy, education and outreach, and resource and environmental stewardship. In Kenya, this role is performed by the Geological Society of Kenya (of which Omuombo is a former vice president).

Omuombo says the Association for Women in Energy and Extractives in Kenya, or AWEIK, seeks to holistically integrate students, miners, mineral traders and various professionals within Kenya’s energy and extractives industry. AWEIK is connected to universities through mentorship programmes offered to its members, nurturing the next generation of female leaders who will shape the future of Kenya’s energy and extractives sector.

High school

Unfortunately, the geosciences do not feature prominently in Kenyan high school STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) combinations. Before university level, rocks, plate tectonics, and fossils are taught as topics only in geography. Beyond that, there is a lack of exposure, resulting in low geology literacy levels. There is insufficient geological training of pre-university teachers who are later expected to teach geology topics.

To raise the geoscience uptake, teacher training must be improved. Early geoscience outreach to girls can spark interest, as has been successfully done under the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO campaigns. More funding is needed to run these programmes to improve retention and increase scholarships and financial support for women in geosciences.

Omuombo advises women students at African universities to face the challenges of being in a male-dominated industry.

She urges them to build technical (GIS, remote sensing, AI and machine-learning tools) and practical skills to gain as much hands-on experience as possible, including through volunteer work and internships.

She says earth sciences studies in Africa are relevant to the continent’s social and economic development through areas of specialisation such as mineral exploration and mining geology, hydrogeology and water management, petroleum and energy resources, environmental and climate change geosciences, engineering geology and infrastructure development, geotourism, and geoheritage.

Some of these themes will be highlighted at the Colloquium of African Geology, or CAG30, in September, where African geoscientists will gather in Kenya to take stock, analyse trends and discuss the future of geosciences in the continent.