At least 13 million people were affected and more than 3,000 killed by extreme weather and climate linked events across Africa in 2025, according to a new assessment by the World Meteorological Organisation.
In its “State of the Climate in Africa 2025” report released on Thursday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said extreme weather has disrupted every major sector across the continent, driving rising flood and sea levels and accelerating the loss of glaciers, including on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The report said floods accounted for more than half of all recorded disasters, citing severe flooding in Nigeria that killed over 200 people and separate floods in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that left more than 160 dead in April and May last year.
Sea‑level rise along African coasts accelerated between 1999 and 2025, exceeding the global average of 3.6 mm per year in several regions, with rates reaching about 4.2 mm along the Atlantic coast, 5.2 mm along the Indian Ocean coast and 5.6 mm in the Red Sea, the report said.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo noted that the 2024/25 tropical cyclone season was particularly active in the South Indian Ocean while drought affected more than 8.5 million people in East Africa.
“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,” Saulo said.
WMO warned that Africa faces a major early‑warning gap, noting that only 40 percent of countries have multi‑hazard early warning systems needed to protect lives and livelihoods.
It also highlighted growing collaboration among meteorological services, disaster management agencies and local authorities aimed at strengthening climate services and response capacity.
Africa is warming faster than the global average, with temperatures rising more rapidly since 1991 than during any previous 30‑year period, WMO said.
According to the report, glaciers across Africa have retreated by over 90 percent since the late 1800s. On Mount Kilimanjaro, ice cover has collapsed from 11.4 km² in 1900 to under 1 km² in recent years.
The report further noted that ocean warming continues across the continent, with widespread marine heatwaves.
“In 2025 ocean heat content and sea-surface temperature were lower than the record levels observed in 2023 and 2024 but remains in the range of historically high values from the past 10 years,” it added.
The report further said ocean acidification is continuing, with record low surface pH observed across most of the region in 2025.
The report drew input from dozens of experts, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, regional climate centres and United Nations partners.
MG/jn/APA