Africa is not facing a climate crisis, it is living through one

A general view of building and an informal structure submerged in floodwater in Giyani on January 16, 2026.[AFP]

When floods overwhelm cities, drought destroys farmlands, and cyclones uproot families overnight, the urgent question remains: is the world prepared to act swiftly enough to save lives on the African continent?

Africa’s experience of climate change reflects vulnerability in nearly every dimension: high exposure to risk, limited capacity to cope with impacts, and constrained fiscal space that restricts meaningful adaptation investment.

Much of this vulnerability arises from the continent’s heavy dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries, combined with weak institutional capacity, fragile economies, and underdeveloped governance systems.

The consequences are already evident. Water systems, agriculture, public health services, and ecosystems are increasingly exposed to climate variability and the growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Africa is not merely confronting a climate emergency; it is already living through one. From devastating floods in Mozambique to persistent drought across the Horn of Africa, the continent is experiencing a relentless sequence of climate shocks. The aftermath is familiar: displaced populations, damaged infrastructure, and rising human suffering.

While global debates continue over responsibility and climate financing, African communities are left to evacuate, rebuild, and mourn year after year.

The latest chain of climate disasters began in Mozambique, where floods that started in late 2025 escalated into a national emergency, submerging homes, destroying livelihoods, and crippling critical infrastructure.

Soon after, deadly flash floods struck northern Morocco. Torrential rains turned streets into rivers in Safi, killing dozens and leaving communities devastated by climate risk rather than conflict.

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Cyclone Gezani then hit Madagascar’s port city of Toamasina, killing dozens and displacing more than 250,000 people, prompting urgent international appeals for humanitarian assistance.

Elsewhere, drought continues to ravage Namibia. Temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C, more than twice the global average, intensifying droughts, wildfires, and floods that now cost the country up to four per cent of its GDP annually.

These disasters, occurring within just two months, confirm decades of climate science warnings: rising global temperatures increase atmospheric moisture, intensifying extreme rainfall and weather variability.

The African Union’s 2026 focus on water therefore, represents a defining political moment, recognising water not merely as a development concern, but as a central climate challenge affecting food security, public health, and regional stability.

Despite being among the regions hardest hit by climate impacts, Africa receives only about four per cent of global climate finance, roughly US$47 billion (Sh6 trillion) annually. Africa requires at least US$70 billion (Sh9 trillion) annually for adaptation, yet only about US$14.8 billion (Sh1.9 trillion) was tracked in 2023.

Worse still, most climate finance arrives as loans rather than grants, deepening financial vulnerability instead of strengthening resilience. These realities expose a fundamental flaw in global climate finance: it remains misaligned with Africa’s needs. As temperatures rise and disasters intensify, the adaptation gap will continue to widen.

Climate resilience is no longer a technical policy discussion but a matter of survival.

Africa needs leadership, climate-resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, stronger disaster preparedness, and equitable, grant-based climate finance aligned with African priorities.