Efforts to improve air quality across Africa have gained momentum, with at least 600 air quality monitors now deployed across the continent, including a newly launched network in Nairobi.

The devices are expected to provide critical data for governments, researchers, and communities to better understand and respond to pollution challenges.

During the Clean-Air Forum held in Nairobi, AirQo Principal Investigator and Lead Engineer, Bainomugisha, traced the journey of this initiative from a small pilot project in Uganda to a continent-wide network.

He recalled how the first three monitors were mounted on a motorbike in Kampala, giving them full coverage of the city despite early uncertainties.

“They enabled us to have the coverage of the entire Kampala. We were not sure how they are going to work. But fast forward 10 years, we've been able to deploy about 600 devices across the continent,” Bainomugisha said.

He explained that AirQo had aimed to expand to two countries every year over the past three years but ended up exceeding that target.

After Uganda, Kenya became one of the next key countries to benefit from the initiative.

Bainomugisha noted that reliable air quality data is essential for both research and policy development. “It starts speaking with the numbers and evidence.

When we talk about data, we all strongly advocate that we need to have open data. Everyone knows that we should have data that is open and accessible,” he said.

He further emphasised that linking various data sets is important, especially in areas like public health. According to him, African countries also need to improve how they monitor transport and mobility.

“We need to be able to track how many vehicles we have in the city, what types of vehicles are paid, and how they are contributing to emissions,” he said. “Countries must take initiatives to measure and track our progress.”

Bainomugisha also raised the need for consistent data governance across Africa, saying it should be based on agreed principles to ensure smooth data collection, management, and sharing.

“Sometimes it gets lost when we say we are all committed to sharing data, but I think as a community we need to agree on the common practices on how we need to do this,” he said.

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, he added, data has become a valuable asset and a crucial resource in advancing clean air strategies.

Meanwhile, Nairobi City County marked a major milestone in air quality management by launching its first-ever city-owned air quality monitoring network.

The unveiling took place on June 11 at City Hall, led by Governor Johnson Arthur Sakaja.

The network includes 50 new air quality sensors, now operational across the city. These will help identify pollution hotspots, inform policy, and support health interventions based on real-time data.

“This milestone marks a turning point in our commitment to improving air quality management. By deploying a city-owned air quality monitoring network, we are taking bold, practical steps to ensure that every Nairobi resident has access to cleaner, safer air. This is a vital investment in the well-being of our people and the future of our city,” said Governor Sakaja.

According to health statistics, air pollution led to around 2,500 premature deaths in Nairobi in 2019. By 2023, the level of fine particles (PM2.5) in the air was four times higher than what the World Health Organization recommends.

The new sensors are part of the Breathe Cities Nairobi initiative, launched in September 2024.

The global program aims to reduce air pollution by 30 percent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. Nairobi is among 14 cities globally taking part in the project, which also supports the development of new air quality laws and an action plan.

Dr. Victor Indasi, Breathe Cities Lead in Kenya, said, “The occasion today is both fulfilling and inspiring, as we witness this important milestone just about 10 months after the official launch of the Breathe Cities initiative in Nairobi.

"The deployment of the Nairobi City-Owned Air Quality Monitoring Network signals a new chapter in our collective efforts to tackle air pollution.

We look forward to the effective use of this network to inform both policy and the public, ushering in a new era of data-driven air quality management for our city.”

Nairobi’s County Executive Committee Member for Green Nairobi, Maureen Njeri, assured the public that the city’s administration, particularly the Green Sector under her leadership, is committed to using the new monitoring network effectively.