Floods, droughts, landslides… In Cameroon, climate disasters affect hundreds of thousands of people every year. To better protect citizens and anticipate these risks, the National Observatory on Climate Change (ONACC) is launching an innovative digital platform capable of alerting, protecting and guiding decisions, with 100% local expertise.
Drought, flooding, extreme temperatures and rising sea levels: Cameroon faces major climate challenges. Between 2019 and 2024, more than 311,000 people were affected by climate-related disasters. These events caused 121 deaths and the destruction of nearly 50,000 hectares of crops, exacerbating socio-economic vulnerabilities, according to the National Observatory on Climate Change. To better anticipate these hazards and limit their impact, on 14 January 2026, the National Observatory on Climate Change launched a digital platform for monitoring climate risks, designed to strengthen early warning systems, protect populations and reduce economic losses.
The aim is to set up a real-time monitoring tool to categorise different climate hazards, such as droughts and floods. This tool aims to improve understanding of these phenomena, but also to identify precisely when they occur, in order to facilitate decision-making. Strategically, it now helps to strengthen the resilience of all sectors of activity, particularly agriculture, public works and, more broadly, all sectors affected by climate change. It is a platform designed to support stakeholders in their decisions and enable them to anticipate climate hazards more effectively.
Poum Bimbar Ghislain, Climate modelling expert at ONACC
Developed locally, ONACC’s new climate platform is part of the modernisation of climate governance in Cameroon, in line with African resilience priorities, in a country where climate-related disasters cost nearly 250 billion CFA francs per year, or about 0.5% of GDP. The platform is based on multi-source data such as meteorological observations, satellite imagery and field information, which are transformed into operational indicators to aid decision-making. The tool operates at four key levels: early warning, investment planning, crisis management and scientific data reliability. Its major innovation lies in the integration of artificial intelligence, under human supervision, to ensure the credibility and traceability of information.
It is a tool that supports planning and adaptation strategies, while strengthening climate resilience. It enables us to support populations and different sectors to be more effective and proactive in the face of various hazards.
Poum Bimbar Ghislain, Climate modelling expert at ONACC
Beyond technology, the project highlights Cameroonian and African scientific expertise. Researchers, notably from the École Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique de Yaoundé, have helped adapt climate models to local realities. Simulations carried out in Douala and Maroua have enabled the warning system to be tested, with nearly 48% of the city of Douala remaining exposed to flood risks.
It is more important to know what will happen than to be surprised. The platform has undergone a series of tests. We tested it on historical data and reconstructed all the floods and droughts in various locations in Cameroon, particularly in Maroua. We carried out these simulations to detect these different periods (floods, droughts, etc.). We covered the entire year 2025 and identified the different periods during which the probability of these climatic hazards is higher. And we are making the results available to the entire population.
Poum Bimbar Ghislain, Climate modelling expert at ONACC
Accessible via the ONACC website, the platform aims to become a tool shared by decision-makers, local authorities and citizens, thereby strengthening Cameroon’s resilience to climate change.
