Africa has recorded some of the world’s fastest improvements in disaster resilience, according to a new global study highlighting progress in emergency preparedness, internet access and communities’ ability to recover from major disruptions.
Research published by Lloyd’s Register Foundation shows that African regions made the strongest gains in resilience between 2023 and 2025.
North Africa recorded a five-point improvement, followed by Southern Africa with four points. Eastern Africa and Central and Western Africa each gained three points.
However, the findings also reveal major gaps in disaster warning systems, leaving millions of people vulnerable to floods, storms and other emergencies.
What is driving Africa’s disaster resilience gains?
The findings come from the fourth edition of the World Risk Poll, conducted by Gallup on behalf of Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
The study surveyed more than 143,000 people across 140 countries and territories in 2025.
Its Resilience Index measures people’s ability to withstand and recover from major disruptions on a scale of zero to 100.
Researchers assess four areas: individual resilience, household preparedness, community support and wider societal conditions.
Countries including Kenya, Egypt, Uganda, Algeria and Nigeria contributed to improvements across African regions.
The study identified expanding internet access, stronger household preparedness and better financial resilience as important factors behind the progress.
Greater connectivity can help communities access information about approaching hazards, while improved preparedness allows households to respond more effectively.
The findings do not mean Africa is the world’s most disaster-resilient continent. Instead, its regions recorded the fastest improvements during the period examined.
Millions in Africa still lack disaster warnings
Despite the progress, the research highlights significant inequalities in access to early warning systems.
In Central and Western Africa, only 47% of adults affected by disasters reported receiving a warning beforehand.
The findings suggest that improvements in overall resilience have not always translated into adequate protection for vulnerable communities.
Globally, adults in low-income countries were almost twice as likely to experience a disaster as those in high-income countries.
Nearly one-third of adults in poorer countries reported experiencing a disaster during the previous five years, compared with 16% in wealthier nations.
Among people affected by disasters, 64% in low-income countries received warnings, compared with 84% in high-income countries.
Even when warnings reached communities, many people struggled to take protective action.
Fewer than half of warned adults in low- and lower-middle-income countries were able to respond before disaster struck.
In high-income countries, that figure reached 71%.
Nancy Hey, director of evidence and insight at Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s Global Safety Evidence Centre, stressed that warnings must be accompanied by practical opportunities to respond.
Mobile phones could strengthen disaster preparedness
The study identifies mobile technology as an important opportunity to improve disaster warning systems.
Researchers estimate that approximately 1.1 billion adults worldwide experienced a disaster during the previous five years.
Almost 220 million received no warning before the event.
Of those who were not warned, 77% owned a mobile phone, representing more than 170 million people.
This suggests that mobile alerts could help authorities reach large numbers of people who currently miss potentially life-saving information.
The research also found that warnings delivered through multiple communication channels were more effective.
Only 37% of people receiving warnings through one channel took action.
That proportion increased to 51% among those reached through two channels and 64% among those receiving information through three.
Communication methods included text messages, television and social media.
The findings suggest that combining different warning systems could improve emergency responses.
Malawi shows importance of local preparedness
Community initiatives across Africa demonstrate how practical preparation can reduce disaster risks.
In Malawi, volunteers helped residents clear storm drains ahead of extreme rainfall in January 2026.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the initiative aimed to reduce flooding risks by improving drainage before severe weather arrived.
Such measures show how local communities can take action without waiting for disasters to occur.
Caroline Zastiral, acting global lead for disaster risk reduction and resilience, emphasised the importance of trust, knowledge and resources in helping people respond to warnings.
The findings indicate that access to information alone is insufficient when households lack the means to protect themselves.
Global resilience trends reveal mixed progress
Beyond Africa, the study identified contrasting trends in different aspects of resilience.
Global societal resilience, which includes trust in national institutions, increased from 63 points in 2021 to 66 points in 2025.
However, individual resilience declined from 46 to 42 points, reaching its lowest recorded level.
The results suggest that improvements in institutions and community systems do not necessarily mean individuals feel better equipped to manage major disruptions.
They also highlight the importance of examining household circumstances alongside broader national indicators.
Africa faces challenges in expanding early warnings
Lloyd’s Register Foundation has called for wider access to disaster warnings and greater investment in household preparedness.
The research highlights the need for systems that not only alert communities but also help them take appropriate action.
Dr Andrew Tupper, chief of the Early Warning Services Section at the World Meteorological Organisation, stressed that effective warning systems must enable people to respond.
For African countries, the findings point to progress in connectivity, preparedness and financial resilience.
However, limited warning coverage and unequal access to resources remain significant obstacles.
As governments and disaster management agencies seek to strengthen emergency responses, improving communication and community preparedness will be essential to building on the continent’s recent gains.