Page 26 - EngineerIT Nov-Dec 2025

AUTOMATION

Automation in Africa’s industries:

promise, pressure, and the path ahead

By Justin Render

utomation is no longer a distant Technology providers are central to this progress. Schneider Electric is
future for African industry — it is helping plants move towards smarter, more resilient energy management
Aunfolding in real time across mines, through integrated automation platforms. Beckhoff’s PC-based control
factories, and energy plants. For companies systems are enabling manufacturers to scale precision and flexibility across
navigating volatile markets, rising costs, production lines. Vega’s advanced level measurement solutions are giving
and safety demands, automation is process industries greater confidence in monitoring critical parameters,
becoming both a competitive advantage reducing waste and downtime. These are not isolated examples but part of
and a survival strategy. a broader shift towards intelligent, connected systems.

The promise The pressure
In mining, advanced automation is Transitioning to automation is not without obstacles. Many facilities across
being used to reduce human exposure Africa still rely on ageing infrastructure, where integrating modern systems
to hazardous environments. Remote- requires careful planning and investment. The skills gap is another pressing
controlled equipment, data-driven challenge: industries need technicians and engineers who can bridge
monitoring, and automated drilling systems traditional mechanical expertise with digital fluency.
improve both safety and productivity. In the
energy sector, automation is streamlining There is also the question of workforce transformation. Automation
power generation and grid management, does not eliminate jobs outright, but it reshapes them. Routine roles are
supporting the integration of renewables declining while demand rises for systems integration, data analytics, and
and stabilising supply in challenging maintenance of automated equipment. Companies that ignore re-skilling
conditions. risk facing resistance and widening inequality within their workforce.

26 | EngineerIT November/December 2025