KNUST’s new clean-air centre seeks regional partnerships as Africa faces funding squeeze
The newly established West Africa Centre for Clean Air (WACCA) is looking to build stronger regional partnerships and mobilise long-term support for air-quality management as funding for clean-air action continues to decline globally. The Centre, hosted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was represented at the 2026 Africa Clean Air Forum in Pretoria, South Africa,…
The West Africa Centre for Clean Air (WACCA), established at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), is seeking to forge stronger regional partnerships and secure long-term funding for air-quality management as global support for clean-air initiatives dwindles. WACCA's Coordinator and Co-Principal Investigator, Dr Yen Adams Sokama-Neuyam, along with project Lead Prof. Francis Kemausuor, attended the 2026 Africa Clean Air Forum in Pretoria, South Africa.
The forum, themed "Investment Case for Clean Air and Healthy Cities," convened policymakers, researchers, industry, civil society, and other stakeholders to explore how Africa can expedite action against air pollution while securing the necessary investment. Dr Sokama-Neuyam highlighted that the meeting provided an opportunity to connect Ghana's emerging clean-air institution with organizations, researchers, and potential funders across the continent, emphasizing the importance of building networks to drive the regional centre of excellence.
WACCA, supported by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), aims to enhance Ghana's air-quality management policies and build national and regional capacity for effective air quality management. The project involves KNUST, the University of Energy and Natural Resources, and Beijing University of Chemical Technology. Dr Sokama-Neuyam noted that Ghana already possesses a robust foundation of air-quality researchers and institutions, but WACCA could significantly expand this capacity.
The Centre's vision includes spearheading air quality research, policy integration, regional coordination, and regulation. This aligns with the CCAC project's goal of strengthening Ghana's air-quality management while supporting a West African Centre of Excellence built around existing institutions. The Centre is expected to bridge the gap between air-quality science and policymaking while promoting capacity building and regional cooperation.
The precise timing of WACCA's emergence is critical, as African nations grapple with urbanization, transport emissions, household pollution, waste burning, and other sources of polluted air. Prof. Kemausuor, a specialist in bioenergy technology, energy planning, and energy policy, brings a complementary background to the WACCA team.
The networking opportunities at the Pretoria forum come against a challenging financial backdrop, with international development funding for outdoor air quality falling by 20% between 2022 and 2023, from US$4.7 billion to US$3.7 billion. In sub-Saharan Africa, funding dropped by a staggering 91%, from US$129 million to US$12 million between 2019 and 2023.
Dr Sokama-Neuyam acknowledged the difficulty in securing funding for research and implementation, noting that it is likely to become increasingly challenging due to the evolving funding landscape. However, he pointed out some improvements in Ghana's research environment, particularly in access to air-quality funding. The team at KNUST is actively working on ensuring the sustainability of WACCA beyond the current funding cycle by engaging institutions and funding agencies.
Their efforts are crucial to maintaining the Centre's momentum and addressing the funding trends highlighted at the Africa Clean Air Forum.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
