Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere

South Africa Economic Integration Division at the African Union Development Agency

Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere is head of the Economic Integration Division at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). The Division spearheads flagship programmes and implementation frameworks that advance regional integration in line with the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Towela is an electrical engineer and development practitioner with more than 20 years’ experience working in the private sector, academia and international development. She brings knowledge and experience in programme development, coordination, and implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects and is leading teams that are focused on infrastructure development, digitalisation & cybersecurity, trade and markets and private sector development underpinned by continental frameworks such as the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering (Networking and Telecommunications) from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in Contemporary Diplomacy (Internet Governance), an ACCA Diploma in Financial Management and is a qualified Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute (USA).

Towela is a member of the Malawi Institution of Engineers, the Internet Society (ISOC), the Project Management Institute and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). She serves on the IEEE Ad-Hoc committee on Africa Activities and is a Trustee of the 5Rights Foundation