By Dickens Okinyi
As cities across Africa grapple with worsening air quality, scientists and policy advocates are calling for urgent, coordinated action to combat the silent killer—air pollution.
Speaking during a recent virtual forum hosted by the African Clean Air Network (AfriCAN), experts from across the continent underscored the need for stronger data systems, regional cooperation, and science-driven policymaking to save millions of lives.
“Air pollution is the greatest external threat to life expectancy in Africa’s most polluted countries,” said Tanushree Ganguly, Director of the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute.
“In Central and West Africa, people are losing nearly as many years of life as those living in South Asia—the world’s most polluted region.”
The AQLI tool, she explained, was developed to translate complex air pollution data into an easily understandable metric: its impact on life expectancy.
“Our theory of change is simple,” Ganguly said. “If we can empower people with understandable information on air pollution and its impacts on human health, they will hold their decision-makers accountable for not acting.”
According to AQLI data, exposure to PM2.5—fine particulate matter—is responsible for reducing average life expectancy by several years in some African nations.
“For every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 levels, life expectancy could go down by 0.98 years,” she explained. “That means even modest reductions in air pollution can translate into significant gains in life expectancy.”
Ganguly pointed out that despite the scale of the problem, Africa’s air quality monitoring remains severely inadequate. “None of the African countries meet the recommended standard of at least three air quality monitors per million people,” she said. “Even South Africa, which has the most advanced system on the continent, falls short. This is a major gap that limits our ability to respond effectively.”
She added that global philanthropic attention and funding are also disproportionate. “While diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria receive billions of dollars annually, air pollution—which in many African countries is a bigger threat—receives less than $200,000 a year,” she said. “This imbalance in funding priorities has serious implications for public health and development.”
To bridge this gap, the AQLI initiative is working with local partners to build research capacity and improve data collection. “Through the EPIC Clean Air program, we’ve launched the air Quality Fund to support local groups in generating their own air quality data,” Ganguly said. “Our aim is to empower African researchers and policymakers with reliable information to drive change.”
Dr. Deo Okure, Head of Research and Global Partnerships at the Air Quality Research and Coordination Organization (AIRCO), opened the discussion by emphasizing that air pollution knows no borders.
“The challenge of air pollution cannot be contained or restricted to particular borders,” he said. “It requires us to deploy a multi-level intervention ecosystem that transcends disciplines, sectors, and even cultures.”
Dr. Okure explained that the African Clean Air Network, also known as AfriCAN, was created as a collaborative platform to drive “broad-based, cross-border partnerships and collaborations” aimed at delivering evidence-based and scalable clean air solutions for African cities.
He described the network’s mission through four central goals: connecting people and ideas across borders, growing open data capacity, increasing public participation through awareness initiatives, and turning scientific evidence into actionable policy.
“We exist because of our partners,” he added, noting that the network currently has 57 partners drawn from government agencies, universities, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector. “If we work together and scale up these initiatives, we can achieve much more and move closer to clean air for all.”
One of the network’s key achievements so far has been the establishment of more than 300 continuous monitoring sites across the continent, providing critical data to guide policymakers.
Dr. Okure also highlighted the Sensor Bank Scheme, which supports pilot monitoring networks in areas with limited or no air quality infrastructure. “We welcome donations to this scheme—not just sensors but also reference-grade equipment. Every contribution brings us closer to our shared goal,” he said.
The AfriCAN initiative, he noted, is not merely about monitoring pollution but also ensuring that scientific research informs real-world policies.
“We must strengthen the science-policy pathways,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure research does not end in publications and citations, but is translated into tangible policy actions.”
In conclusion, both experts agreed that collaboration and access to open data are crucial to tackling Africa’s air pollution crisis.
Dr. Okure urged African institutions to “own the clean air agenda” by investing in data, technology, and partnerships that transcend national boundaries.
Meanwhile, Ganguly reiterated that understanding the human cost of pollution can catalyze change. “Once people realize that breathing cleaner air could mean living longer, the urgency for action becomes undeniable,” she said.
