The Department of Physics was one of the pioneer departments set up in the University College of the Gold Coast in October 1948. The Department of Physics is the home of Afri-SET: The Air Quality Sensor Evaluation and Training Facility, established to comprehensively evaluate and provide calibrations for low-cost air quality sensors and ensure that end-users are informed about their performance, capabilities and limitations.

Afri-SET uses internationally recognised best practices to provide real-world performance evaluations for low-cost sensors being used in Africa. Afri-SET provides comprehensive capacity-building and training services, including in-person, virtual, and open-access options. Afri-SET’s goal is to empower individuals and organisations with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve air quality monitoring and protect public health and the environment. The Afri-SET website is www.afriset.org

The Africa Network on Climatic and Environmental Change Awareness International is being coordinated by IBEH, Friday Gabriel PhD. Dr. Gabriel Friday Ibeh is a Physics Lecturer at Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, who specialises in Atmospheric and Environmental Physics Research, which comprises greenhouse gases, air quality, pollution, meteorological parameters and climate change.

The Africa Network on Climatic and Environmental Change Awareness International (ANOCAEAI) is dedicated to advancing climate change awareness, environmental education, air quality and sustainable development across the African continent. The organisation’s core activities include public awareness campaigns, educational outreach, capacity-building workshops, and the promotion of community-based adaptation and mitigation projects on clean air and environmentally friendly.

ANOCAEAI works closely with diverse stakeholders—ranging from youth, women, and rural communities to policymakers and international partners—to ensure that climate action, clean air are inclusive and locally relevant. ANOCAEAI’s work aligns strongly with the goals of leading African climate networks and continental strategies. These goals emphasise building resilience to climate impacts, harmonising climate strategies, achieving clean air, promoting effective institutional capacities, and fostering inclusive participation in climate governance.

ANOCAEAI is looking out for partners, collaborators and funding organisations to carry out innovative and pertinent research on air quality in Nigeria.

The Air Quality Monitoring Research Group (AQMRG) was established in 2016 in the University of Lagos, Nigeria, under the leadership of Dr. Rose Alani, an Associate Professor of Environmental/Analytical Chemistry, to bridge air quality data gaps in Nigeria through multidisciplinary research and innovation.

Our vision is to become the leading hub of air quality data and source apportionment in Nigeria. Our mission is to generate actionable air quality data through collaboration, technology, and Science-based evidence.

Seven million people die every year due to air pollution. Monitoring air quality enables people worldwide to better protect themselves.

AirGradient is on a mission to bring accurate and affordable air quality monitoring to every corner of the planet, and is supported by a community of more than 30,000 engaged citizens who have already deployed an AirGradient monitor.

To maximise impact, we have completely open-sourced and shared our monitor design so that others can build upon it.

Visit https://www.airgradient.com/ for more information.

AirQo is an air quality research initiative based in the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Makerere University. The objective of the AirQo project is to contribute to the improvement of urban air quality by developing low-cost technologies as new approaches for air quality monitoring in African cities while applying artificial intelligence (AI) to derive insights and to engage decision makers and communities to inform mitigation actions.

AirQo has championed new Africa-led approaches to air quality management for African cities and resource-strained environments through:

1. Custom design, development and deployment of an extensive network of low-cost monitoring devices in African cities.
2. Data management, calibration, analysis, forecasting and modelling using Internet of Things and machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.
3. Education, awareness, and policy engagements through partnerships with government agencies, city authorities and communities.

Dennis Osadebay University (DOU) aims to empower future generations through excellence in teaching, research, and innovation, with a strong focus on environmental management and sustainability. The university emphasises strengthening research capabilities, developing high-level manpower, and fostering community engagement through outreach and impact-driven environmental studies.

It prioritises modern infrastructure and technology to enhance teaching and research, particularly in environmental sciences, policy, and toxicology. The atmospheric and Environmental Sciences and related disciplines focus on research, including air quality and environmental health.

The Africa Clean Air Network’s goals to enhance air quality monitoring, regional capacity building, data sharing, and the development of clean air solutions closely align with DOU’s mission. Both prioritise research, capacity building, and community impact to address environmental challenges.

DOU’s emphasis on sustainability and community involvement complements the network’s collaborative approach across African cities to combat air pollution. This alignment lays a strong foundation for potential collaboration to advance air quality research and environmental health solutions in Nigeria and beyond, consistent with both DOU’s and the Africa Clean Air Network’s goals.

The Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development at the University of Lagos (UNILAG-CHSD) was established to provide learning and research support for evidence-based policy and practice for the housing and urban development sector in Africa. The Centre is the African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence for Urbanization and Habitable cities.

Key activities include housing and urban development research, capacity building programmes, policy engagement and expert group meetings, urban regeneration and advocacy.

Under the dynamic leadership of its Director, Professor Timothy Nubi and Co-Director, Professor Taibat Lawanson, the Centre works to establish high visibility for Africa’s peculiar urbanisation issues and offer profound, workable solutions for ensuring that Africa’s urbanisation leads to generative, habitable cities rather than dysfunctional cities. As the clusters focus on specific research activities, they serve as platforms for partnering with universities and other members of the development community.

Clean Air Africa is a global health research partnership and unit funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) that researches household air pollution (HAP) and develops evidence-based policies to promote clean cooking energy in sub-Saharan Africa.

By collaborating with academic, clinical, and governmental institutions, the partnership aims to inform policy for the equitable adoption of clean cooking fuels to combat respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and climate change.

Key Aspects of Clean Air Africa
• Focus on Household Air Pollution: The initiative primarily addresses the health crisis of household air pollution caused by the burning of solid fuels like wood and kerosene, a major source of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
• Policy-Informed Research: Clean Air Africa conducts high-quality research to provide data and evidence that informs policies aimed at scaling up access to clean cooking energy across the continent.
• Partnership and Collaboration: It is a partnership of experts from academic, research, and clinical institutions in the UK and various African countries, including Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
• Air Pollution Centre of Excellence: The unit manages an Air Pollution Centre of Excellence at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Nairobi, which houses advanced laboratory equipment for monitoring air quality.
• Broader Impacts: The initiative also addresses the social impacts of energy poverty and works to strengthen community and clinical health systems for the prevention of household air pollution.

As the world’s largest philanthropically funded organisation dedicated to tackling air pollution, we drive ambitious change from the grassroots to governments. We accelerate the clean air movement by:

• Funding and partnering with organisations across the globe that promote data, build public demand for clean air and drive action. 
• Engaging and supporting decision makers to act on clean air, and bringing together funders, researchers, policy makers, businesses and campaigners to strengthen the air quality cause. 

We work with communities disproportionately affected by air pollution. We also work where the need and potential for impact is greatest, including the EU, Ghana, India, South Africa and the UK.

We also run global programmes to raise air pollution up the international climate and health agendas. Our global themes include data, health, campaigns and private sector action.

Clean Air Initiative Cameroon (CAIC) is dedicated to building a future where every Cameroonian breathes clean air and thrives in sustainable, vibrant communities. Launched in 2022, CAIC was born out of the urgent need to tackle one of the most pressing environmental threats of our time—air pollution.

Air pollution, according to the World Health Organization, is responsible for over eight million premature deaths annually and significantly harms both the environment and human health. In cities worldwide, transport is a leading contributor to this crisis. For Cameroon, addressing air pollution means addressing climate change and ensuring a better quality of life for all citizens.

We are a small group using citizen and team science to revolutionize air quality monitoring and meaningful data communication in Africa. Our work includes the use of country/ area specific evidence to generate actionable steps for clean air solutions.

Climate in Africa is transforming how the continent responds to climate change by closing Africa’s environmental data gap. Most regions in Africa lack reliable, localized climate data—making it difficult for governments, businesses, and researchers to act decisively. Existing datasets are often outdated, incomplete, or based on limited satellite estimates without ground verification. This gap hampers the development of effective climate policies, forecasting tools, and AI models.

To solve this, Climate in Africa deploys a network of low-cost, solar-powered air and weather stations—offering real-time, ground-level insights across the continent. Their devices measure everything from PM2.5 and NO₂ to soil moisture, rainfall, and wind direction. All data is fed into a powerful, cloud-based platform with intuitive analytics, smart alerts, and forecasting capabilities.

With Africa’s largest in-situ sensor network and an API combining 50 years of data, Climate in Africa enables AI-powered insights, supports carbon credit validation, and offers SaaS climate solutions tailored to the continent’s unique challenges. It’s not just a tech company—it’s building Africa’s definitive environmental data infrastructure to power resilience, innovation, and sustainable growth in the face of climate volatility.

Visit this website for more information:https://climateinafrica.com/

Taita Taveta County is located approximately 360 km southeast of Nairobi and 200 km northwest of Mombasa, and is a port and major gateway to the United Republic of Tanzania through Taveta town. The county, whose headquarters are situated in Mwatate sub-county, is one of the six counties in the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani(JKP) regional economic bloc. The major towns in the County include Voi, Taveta, Mwatate and Wundanyi.

Management of air quality and air pollution is a devolved function, and the County is tasked with ensuring good air quality and controlling pollution within its jurisdiction.

The University of Lagos (www.unilag.edu.ng) was established over six decades ago (1962). The University of Lagos (Unilag) has been a beacon of qualitative and research-oriented education for thousands of knowledge seekers who come to its domain from Nigeria and abroad.

The University is a research-intensive one with a passion for knowledge creation. Unilag has over 65,000 Undergraduate and Postgraduate students across Faculties and Programmes. UNILAG’s vibrant community sprouts from a fountain of distinction, which produces top-tier graduates and academia whose impactful contributions continue to shape Nigeria’s growth and development.

Diamond Media is a journalism and media organisation committed to raising awareness and driving action on environmental and public health issues across Africa. With a strong focus on air quality, climate change, and sustainable development, Diamond Media leverages investigative reporting, multimedia storytelling, and community engagement to bridge the gap between science, policy, and public understanding.

The Eastern Africa GEOHealth Hub is a research and training centre dedicated to environmental and occupational health in Eastern Africa. The Hub started in its Cycle I funding with a focus on Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. In the current Cycle II, the primary focus is on Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, along with expanded training partnerships in Rwanda, Ghana, and Cameroon.

Through collaborative partnership, the Hub is keen on strengthening the local capacity to conduct environmental and occupational health research.

Led by Prof Nicholas Oguge, assisted by Prof Stephen Anyango as the CO-I and Prof Augustine Afullo as the consultant and a team of dedicated field researchers, the GEOHealth Hub-UoN is focusing on household and outdoor air quality and health, as well as the Cognitive Performance Assessments Study. 

Link: https://geohealth-hub.org/about/

The Environmental Health Research Unit is a branch of the Viral Hepatitis and Health Communication Research Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Yaoundé I. The activities of this research unit include organising scientific days on environmental health within the Faculty, sponsoring the Faculty’s Eco Health club, supervising students on topics related to environmental health, and conducting research projects.

Two sessions of scientific days on environmental health were organised in 2023 and 2024. There are also activities aimed at preserving the environment, such as planting trees, participating in challenges on air pollution in schools, organising scientific forums and walks to raise awareness about air pollution.

The Evidence Use in Environmental Policymaking in Nigeria (EUEPiN) provides a platform for capacity building and engagement for evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) and its implementation. 

The EUEPiN since its inception in 2020 has achieved its objectives and set up institutionalised initiatives such as the EESKT-TCEBCEM Research Cluster at the University of Lagos, Knowledge Translation Units at the three environmental regulatory institutions (FMENV, LSMOEWR and FMSTI), Community of Practice (EIDM Champions), Secondment Programme (6 Awardees funded so far), Technical Working Groups (6 established so far), Capacity Building Workshops, Online Presence (X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Website), among other achievements.

The Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT), located in Lagos, Nigeria, is a federal institution committed to advancing education and research in environmental, oceanography, and marine sciences and technology. Within the department, our academic and research efforts focus, among others, on atmospheric physics, space weather, air quality, aerosol science, and land–atmosphere interactions, critical to addressing air pollution and climate challenges in heavily polluted cities like Lagos and the wider West Africa.

Our work aligns with the Africa Clean Air Network by actively connecting people and ideas through interdisciplinary collaborations and student-led research. We hope to contribute to growing data capacity by integrating low-cost sensors, GPS-based remote sensing, and AI-driven tools for monitoring particulate matter and atmospheric changes.

Through teaching, public outreach, and scientific communication, we are committed to raising awareness on clean air and environmental sustainability. Additionally, we support the use of data in informing policy through publications, student projects, and partnerships with local stakeholders.

Our goal is to foster a new generation of scientists and technicians equipped to co-create scalable, data-driven solutions for clean air in Africa.

For more information, visit this website.