Mogadishu Construction: Women’s Rising Ambitions in Somalia
- Mogadishu is experiencing a construction boom as it recovers from a violent past, creating opportunities for women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.
- The two engineers are overseeing the construction of a 10-story apartment complex in the Hodan district.
- Navigating the construction site in hard hats, they direct a team of male workers.
In Mogadishu, Somalia, a construction boom is underway, spearheaded by ambitious female engineers. Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar are at the forefront, overseeing significant projects and reshaping the city’s landscape. These women are challenging norms in a male-dominated field and are key to Mogadishu’s reconstruction, with over 6,000 buildings erected in the last five years. The Somali Engineers Association champions greater female participation to fill critical gaps.Despite facing challenges like limited mentorships and gender bias, Abdi and Omar are recognized leaders making a tangible difference. News Directory 3 recognizes their achievements.Discover what’s next for these trailblazing women and the future of Mogadishu.
Female engineers help rebuild Mogadishu
Updated June 15, 2025
Mogadishu is experiencing a construction boom as it recovers from a violent past, creating opportunities for women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.
The two engineers are overseeing the construction of a 10-story apartment complex in the Hodan district.
Navigating the construction site in hard hats, they direct a team of male workers.
Abdi, the chief operating officer of Arkan Engineering Services, saeid that at the beginning of her career, people doubted her abilities as she was a woman.
Abdi and Omar have been working as engineers for five years.
Omar said that Mogadishu needs them, and they are part of the city’s reconstruction.
Somalia has been in a state of civil war as 1991. Scars of the war are still visible, but new construction is beginning to hide or replace the ruins.
Both women were born during the civil war and stayed in Somalia to help rebuild it, despite the ongoing insurgency by al-Shabab.
Omar believes that women are getting more opportunities in the field because there is a lot of work and not enough professionals.
Ibrahim Abdi Heyle, chairman of the Somali engineers Association, said that the high demand for skilled professionals is leading to change, even if slowly, in Somalia’s male-dominated society.
Heyle said that the association encourages greater participation from women,emphasizing that they are vital in filling critical gaps in the workforce and bringing diverse perspectives to the industry.
According to the mayor of mogadishu’s office, over 6,000 buildings have been constructed in the last five years.
Salah Hassan Omar, the mayor’s spokesperson, said that security in Mogadishu has improved, leading to an increase in construction.
Abdi and Omar have faced challenges, as only 5% of engineers are women, and mentorship opportunities are scarce.
Omar said that she was rejected by most companies when she applied for internships because they did not think a woman could handle the physical demands of engineering.
Today, Abdi and Omar are among the most recognized female engineers in Mogadishu, having overseen more than 30 multimillion-dollar projects.
Abdi said that the city is now home to taller buildings and modern infrastructure, a stark contrast to the Mogadishu of the past.
What’s next
As Mogadishu continues to rebuild, the contributions of female engineers like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar will likely play an increasingly significant role in shaping the city’s future.