…Over 300 participants, including city leaders, scientists, and youth, convene for the CLEAN-Air Forum to shape solutions to Africa’s air pollution crisis.
By Bunmi Yekini
As cities across Africa grapple with the deadly consequences of air pollution, a new wave of collaboration is taking shape in Nairobi. From July 15 to 17, leaders in science, policy, advocacy, and innovation are meeting for the 2025 CLEAN-Air Forum to scale solutions, share data, and align on actionable strategies.
Held under the theme “Partnerships for Clean Air Solutions,” the third edition of the Forum brings together more than 300 participants from across the continent and globally. It builds on the momentum of previous editions in Kampala (2023) and Lagos (2024), with a sharp focus on community-driven, data-backed responses to pollution.
Organised by AirQo, the Health Effects Institute (HEI), World Resources Institute Africa (WRI), and the Nairobi City County Government, the Forum is reinforcing the continent’s resolve to tackle one of its most pressing public health and environmental challenges.
“The CLEAN-Air Forum has become Africa’s leading platform for driving evidence, innovation, and equity in air quality,” said Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director for Africa and Global Partnerships at WRI. “The theme, Partnerships for Clean Air Solutions, is a timely reminder: no one city, country, or community can solve this crisis alone. We have to work together.”
A recent scoping review by HEI revealed that air pollution caused approximately 294,000 deaths in East Africa in 2021, making it the region’s second-leading cause of mortality after malnutrition. Biomass fuel use and vehicle emissions are cited as the primary sources, worsened by limited air quality monitoring infrastructure.
Even in Nairobi, Africa’s environmental capital, there are fewer than 100 publicly accessible air quality monitors. Most of them have been deployed through collaborations involving AirQo, UNEP, Breathe Cities, GEOHealth Hub, and others, in partnership with the city government.
Governor Johnson Sakaja acknowledged the city’s efforts to expand its air quality monitoring and called for stronger partnerships:
“Air pollution remains a major public health and environmental threat, both locally and globally. The data we have must drive inclusive and informed action,” he said. “This forum will unite leaders, experts, civil society, and citizens to share policies that protect our health and our city’s future.”
One of the keynote speakers and the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, emphasized unity across African cities:
“When we collaborate, we share expertise, benchmark standards, and speak with one voice,” he said. “The CLEAN-Air Forum is helping African cities build that shared language and vision.”
Dr. Mathew Ochieng Owili, Deputy Governor of Kisumu, added that collective action brings not just policy change but new financial opportunities:
“Through shared data, harmonised policies, and joint strategies, cities can access more funding and implement innovation faster,” he said. “I hope this Forum catalyses a united front, bigger investments, stronger commitments, and new partnerships for clean air.”
One key milestone of this year’s gathering is the renewed vision for the Africa Clean Air Network, focused on connecting people, data, and solutions across the continent. Since its launch in Kampala in 2023, the network has emerged as a vital force bridging science, policy, and advocacy to drive Africa’s clean air movement.
The CLEAN-Air Forum is a flagship initiative of the Africa Clean Air Network, a cross-sector collaboration that unites research institutions, governments, businesses, grassroots organisations, and media to build momentum and practical responses to urban air pollution.