The grand success of the just ended 2nd African Continental Engineering, Architecture, Construction and Real Estate Summit

So soon the long-awaited 2nd African Continental Engineering, Architecture, Construction and Real Estate Summit themed, Integrating Sustainable Built Environment for Socio-Economic Transformation through the use of new generation Technology and Generative Artificial Intelligence has come to an end, 5pm on

November 28, 2024 at Berliner Platz Conference Centre-East Legon, Accra, Ghana. The Summit brought together all stakeholders of the African built environment.

It was indeed a time of introspection that examined the past, the present and projections into the future of the African built environment in this AI dispensation. The core mandate was to communicate to all stakeholders yet again, the urgent need to integrate the African Built Environment for Socio-Economic Transformation of the African Continent.

It was by far Africa’s most impactful built environment and Real Estate Summit that brought together all sector players across the African continent and beyond to discuss industry best practices, modern innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of built environments across the globe.

The objective was to set the stage for the integration of the African built environment whilst creating the opportunity for more partnerships/collaborations and the promotion of sustainability for corporate growth and for the African continental prosperity at large.

Being the initiative of the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd and organized in collaboration with some industry stakeholders, ACEACRES, 2024 witnessed the gathering of a wide range of stakeholders in the built environment; the building contractors, construction firms, engineers, surveyors, planners, architects, project managers, land economists, real estate developers, builders, landscaping professionals, real estate professionals, building and construction material/equipment suppliers, glaziers, fabricators, interior deco companies/professionals, roofing companies/technicians, transport & logistics companies, facility management professionals/institutions, banks/bankers, investors, insurance institutions, government agencies, regulators, IoT experts, construction legal consultants, artificial intelligence professionals, land economists, sustainability consultants, oil and gas marketing companies, research and technological service providing companies, artisans etc.

The summit recorded a little over three hundred (300) in-person participants from Nigeria, Uganda and the United States of America (USA), with majority from the host country Ghana.

Some of the high profile in-person participants from the African Continent were the keynote speaker Madam Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Engr. Olu Ogunduyile FNSE Vice President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr Dr. Modasiru Bola J. (Principal Partner, Prolarank Nigeria Ltd and General Secretary, the Nigerian Institution of Highways and Transportation Engineer (NIHTE), Prof. Taddeo Rusoke, Climate Governance & Nature-Based Solutions Expert, Uganda, East Africa, Dr. John Rwakihembo, PhD (Accounting & Finance):

Dean, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Mountain of the Moon University, Uganda, East Africa, Dr. Bldr. Abdulhakkeem Odegade, MD/CEO, Akmodel Group, Lagos, Nigeria, Mr, Stephen Merritt, USA, Roadbond EN1 & Technical Consultant, Jemba Solutions etc. Among the local industry leaders present were Ing. Isaac Bedu, Registrar, Engineering Council, Ghana, Engr. Seth Ayim, Executive Director, Institute of Engineering and Technology Ghana (IET-GH), Engr. Ben Debrah, National President, Local Government Service Engineers (LoGSEA), Engr. Awal Sakib Mohammed, National President, Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA), Dr. Ebenezer Mireku, President, Commercial Quarry Operators Association (COQOA), Mr. Samuel Nii N. Tackie, National Vice President, Certified Electrical and Wiring Professionals Association (CEWPAG), Engr. Jacob Ansong, National President, Ghana Institution of Real Estate Brokers (GhIREB), Dr. Gabriel Apotey, member, Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals (GhISEP) etc.

To name a few of the key issues discussed at this continental Summit were the urgency of integrating the African Built Environment, this Mr. Daniel Kontie the convener of ACEACRES, 2024 and the CEO of the organizing company, the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network spoke passionately about.

He added that, integrating makes the cake no longer a national cake but a continental cake bigger than what anyone can bite hence making the opportunities bigger for all industry players. The others were major factors affecting the industry growth, the impact of AI on the built environment, the adoption of sustainability and how industry issues affect the delivery of housing and infrastructure in Ghana and Africa at large.

Sponsors had the opportunity to engage in B2B, B2C networking opportunities, with some connected with manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers retailers as well as end consumers.

Many had the opportunity to meet potential investors, enhanced their brand visibility, generated real time leads, gained industry insights, modern trends, identified new business opportunities, sealed partnership deals, shared product knowledge and utility information with potential customers, demonstrated their unique selling proposition to potential customers, built strong network with influential industry players, connected with top-rated projects /contractors/professionals in Ghana and across the African continent etc.

Whilst participants had the opportunity to network with industry leaders, access to cutting edge insights and new trends, learnt from successful case studies, built personal capacity for resilience, exposed to new business opportunities, gained inspiration and motivation from industry thought leaders, built relationship with potential employers/employees and mentors, accessed innovative products, met with potential investors, shared their perspective during Q&A session, identified lucrative business niches in the industry et cetera.

The event Partners include, the Ghana Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET-GH), the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG), the Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA), Ghana Institute of Construction (GIOC), Certified Electrical Wiring Professionals Association (CEWPAG), Ghana Association of Real Estate Brokers (GAREB), Local Government Service Engineers Association (LoGSEA), Commercial Quarry Operators Association (COQOA), Engineering Council, Ghana, (EC), the Real Estate Council, (REAC), the Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals (GhISEP), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) with Nimark Consult, and Culnad Construction Ltd, as construction firms among several others.

The Principal Sponsors of the event include, Gerflor Ghana, Meprolim Ghana, as headline sponsors. The rest are Premier Steel, McDan Group, Jemba Solutions Ltd, Fort Doors Ghana, the Primus Group, Alusynco Hellas Services Ltd, Marbelino Marble Stones Décor, Mayfair Estate Ltd, Reroy Cables Ltd, J2 Affable properties, Sethi Realty, Sethi Steel, Nimark Consult, ABS Properties, United Commercial Trading, Culnad Construction, CIMAF, Magil Enterprise Ltd.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Daniel Kontie the covenor and CEO of the organizing company, the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd stressed the need to rotate the Summit across the African continent. Even though he was emphatic about holding the third edition in Ghana, he added that subsequent editions will either be hosted by Nigeria or Uganda in a rotating order.

The organizer is the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd (ACECN), a Pan African built environment and real estate firm based in Ghana but with a wide range of projects and network of built environment professionals across the African continent and beyond.

Its vision is to be among Africa's top five (5) built environment brands in the next 10 years from 2024 while creating a strong continental network and integration of Africa's fragmented built environment through a high-power professional, intergovernmental and sustainability networking across the globe.

The mission is to be the industry game-changer in the delivery of superior general built environment services in all disciplines while championing the course of contemporary innovations and sustainability geared towards the socio-economic transformation of the African continent.