Volume 14, Issue 3, July - September 2025
CONTENT
Chair's Foreword*
African Climate Report, September 2025
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading
Chair's Foreword*
As should be the periodic exercise - the latest report from the Society of significant weather events in the 2025 calendar year to date is presented. The prevalence of flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall is notable.
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| Mokwa floods, Mokwa, Niger State, Nigeria. May 2025. |
Africa Climate Report, September 2025
At the start of September 2025 leaders of the African continent assembled at the Second Africa Climate Summit, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia [1]. The central message coming out of the African climate summit conveyed by the host, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, is that a change of narrative must be effected to cease to represent Africa as a victim of climate change. Instead Africa strives to be regarded as a dynamic contributor, offering climate solutions that will benefit Africa and the world at large [2]. Also a WMO delegation held high level panel discussions highlighting the state of progress in monitoring and data sharing. More financial support was called for to support African Meteorology institutions. Prime Minister Ahmed called for 1000 African Climate solutions by 2030 as part of his proposed Climate Compact.
The challenges of climate; although a subject of sometimes subjective debate in the circles of the Climate Summit, are a visceral reality among African communities across the continent. In over a dozen African countries (out of a total 54), the year 2025 was yet another featuring extreme weather events mainly due to heavy rainfall that then led to floods and landslides causing many losses of lives, injuries and thousands displaced from their homes [3].
Flooding in 2025 affected at least 10 countries across West and Central Africa. Close to a million people (984,000 ) have been affected. In order of worst affected countries were DRC (658,000 affected), Nigeria (127,000), and Cape Verde (95,000) followed by others. Over 20,000 were displaced across these countries, including also Ghana.
Of the worst cases to be case-studied among these floods, are the so called Mokwa Floods, which devastated the town of Mokwa in Niger State in Northern Nigeria. Several factors were at play to cause the catastrophic Mokwa Floods. On the 28th May 2025, the town indeed experienced heavy rainfall. The persistent heavy rain caused the town to be submerged by a flood. The volume of rain and its intensity caused a local dam to be overwhelmed and collapse. The damage caused by the torrent was further exacerbated by poor drainage provision and a deforested landscape.[4], [5].
In some cases, the heavy rainfall across the continent led to seasonal proliferation of landslide events. One such catastrophic event occurred in South Sudan in August, leading to the loss of over 1000 lives. On 20th August 2025 heavy rainfall triggered a landslide in south west Guinea.This was one of a series of landslide events across Guinea that had claimed at least 50 lives and left many injured [6].
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| South Sudan Landslides |
These extreme climate events remind us that whilst we continue our subjective discussions on climate at regional and continental levels, we cannot escape the stark reality, suggested by events on the ground that climate change is no longer a spectre of the future for which we can plan years in advance. Climate change is here with us here and now. We must quickly grapple with monitoring as well as managing its current and ongoing effects on our continent.
Earth Science Events
16 October 2025
VISION: International Conference on Water Resources Hydraulics & Hydrology
VENUE: Mopti, Mali
25 October 2025
International Conference on Earth Science & Recycling Waste Management
VENUE: Maseru, Lesotho
25 October 2025
International Conference on Water Resources Hydrualics & Hydrology
VENUE: George, SA
15 November 2025
International Conference on Applied Icthyology, Oceanography & Aquatic Environment
VENUE: Cairo, Egypt
12 January 2026
International Conference on Water Resources, Hydraulics & Hydrology
VENUE: Elmohndseen, Egypt
18 January 2026
International Conference on Maritime Biology & Oceanography
VENUE: Lilongwe, Malawi
27 January 2026
International Conference on Oceanography & Climate Change
VENUE: Cairo, Egypt
12 January 2026
International Conference on Geology and Geophysics
VENUE: Nairobi, Kenya
18 January 2026
International Conference on Marine Biology & Oceanography
VENUE: Lilongwe, Malawi
27 January 2026
International Conference on Oceanography and Climate Change
VENUE: Cairo, Egypt
12 February January 2026
International Conference on Water Resources, Hydraulics and Hydrology
VENUE: Elmohndseen, Egypt
21-23 April 2026
Future Health Africa 2026: Re-imagining Healthcare through technology in Africa
VENUE: Casablanca, Morocco
References and Selected Reading
[1] The Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) - Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa's Resilient and Green Development, Pre-Summit, Sep 5-7, 2025. Summit Sep 8-10, 2025. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[2] Ibid.
[3] West & Central Africa 2025 Monitoring of the Flooding Situations - As of 21 August, OCHA, 28 August 2025.
[4] Wikipedia, Mokwa Flood.
[5] Nigerian Flood Disaster. 111 confirmed Dead. Mathrubhumi. May 30, 2025.
[6] Reuters, 3 September 2025, Plea for Helped After Landslide Wipes Out Sudan Village.
*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Dr Stanley Echibima (Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).
