African regions have recorded the world’s fastest improvements in disaster resilience since 2023, driven by wider internet access, stronger household preparedness and improved financial resilience, according to a new global study.
The findings from the fourth edition of the World Risk Poll, conducted by Gallup for Lloyd’s Register Foundation, show that North Africa recorded a five point increase in resilience, followed by Southern Africa with four points. Eastern Africa and Central and Western Africa each recorded three point gains.
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, assessing individual resilience, household preparedness, community support and broader societal conditions on a scale of zero to 100.
Researchers identified Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Algeria and Uganda among the countries contributing to the regional improvements. However, the findings measure the pace of progress rather than overall resilience, meaning Africa has not necessarily become the world’s most resilient continent.
Despite the improvements, the study highlights persistent gaps in access to early warnings, particularly in Central and Western Africa, where only 47 per cent of adults affected by disasters said they had received a warning.
Globally, about 1.1 billion adults experienced a disaster in the five years preceding the survey, while nearly 220 million received no advance warning. Among those who were not warned, 77 per cent owned a mobile phone, representing more than 170 million people who could potentially be reached through mobile-based alert systems.
The findings also reveal inequalities between income groups. In low-income countries, 64 per cent of disaster affected adults received warnings, compared with 84 per cent in high-income countries.
Receiving an alert did not always translate into protective action. Fewer than half of warned adults in low and lower middle income countries took action before disaster struck, compared with 71 per cent in high-income countries.
Nancy Hey, director of evidence and insight at Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s Global Safety Evidence Centre, stressed that warnings must enable people to respond effectively, noting that their value depends on what recipients can do with the information.
The research found that people were more likely to take action when warnings reached them through several communication channels rather than a single source.
Only 37 per cent of respondents who received alerts through one channel took action, compared with 51 per cent among those reached through two channels and 64 per cent among those receiving alerts through three channels. These channels included text messages, television and social media.
The results point to the potential of mobile technology and digital communications to expand early warning coverage. However, the researchers also emphasise the importance of ensuring that warnings are trusted, understandable and linked to practical guidance.
In communities with limited connectivity, authorities may need to combine digital alerts with radio broadcasts, community networks and direct communication by local officials and volunteers.
Community based initiatives are also helping residents prepare for extreme weather and other hazards.
In Malawi, volunteers mobilised residents to clear storm drains ahead of heavy rainfall in January, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The initiative illustrated how local action can help reduce exposure to flooding before severe weather occurs.
The findings also challenge the assumption that national wealth alone determines disaster resilience. Household preparedness, financial resources, access to information and the ability to act on warnings all influence how people experience and recover from emergencies.
Caroline Zastiral, acting global lead for disaster risk reduction and resilience, said warnings were more likely to prompt action when people had the trust, knowledge, time and resources to protect themselves and their families.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is urging governments and disaster management agencies to expand warning coverage and invest in household preparedness.
The World Meteorological Organisation has similarly stressed that early warning systems must be connected to arrangements that enable communities to take protective action, rather than simply deliver information.
For Nigeria and other African countries, the findings underscore the need to strengthen coordination between meteorological agencies, emergency management authorities, telecommunications providers and local communities.
The rapid improvement in resilience indicators offers evidence of progress, but the continuing gaps in warnings and response show that further investment is needed. Ensuring that vulnerable households receive timely information and have the resources to act will be essential to reducing disaster related deaths, displacement and economic losses.
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