The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has revealed that extreme weather and climate-related events affected no fewer than 13 million people and led to over 3,000 reported fatalities in Africa in 2025, with knock-on effects felt across all sectors of the economy and society.
Warning Systems Gap
The continent is struggling to cope with the impacts and only 40 percent of countries have multi-hazard early warning systems, which are needed to save lives and livelihoods, according to the State of the Climate in Africa 2025 report produced by WMO in collaboration with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, international data centres, leading climate research institutions and United Nations partners.
Case Studies and Impacts
The report presents three case studies from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa showcasing the impacts and risks, including lessons learned and the outlook for the future. WMO noted that extreme weather wreaks high economic and human cost as floods were the most common reported hazard, adding that African glaciers, including iconic Mountain Kilimanjaro, were vanishing, and sea level rise along some African coasts outpaced the global average since 1999.
While Africa faced a critical gap in early warning systems, it was making progress. However, WMO said there were encouraging signs that improved collaboration between meteorological services, disaster management agencies and local authorities, as well as advances in climate services like seasonal forecasts, were strengthening preparedness and response capabilities.
Regional Assessment
The State of the Climate in Africa 2025 offered a consolidated regional assessment, with authoritative information on key climate indicators, impacts and risks to support decision-making. It warned that the African continent was warming faster than the global average, and the rate of warming across the continent since 1991 was substantially higher than in any of the previous 30-year periods.
WMO said: “Extreme weather is hitting the continent hard. Floods accounted for more than half of the reported events. For instance, severe flooding in Nigeria in May led to over 200 deaths, and flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April led to over 160 deaths. Drought affected more than 8.5 million people in East Africa. Sea-level rise along African coasts from 1999 to 2025 exceeds the global average of 3.6 mm per year in several regions, reaching around 4.2 mm per year along the Atlantic coast.”
WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, said: “The signs of a changing climate are clear across Africa – from increasing temperatures and rising seas to damaging floods and drought. This report shows not only the scale of the risks, but also the growing importance of early warnings, climate services and coordinated action to protect lives and livelihoods.”
