EANET Highlights Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Solutions at the Africa Sensor Network Town Hall
15 July 2026
The Sensor Network Town Hall: Strengthening Data Flow and Use of Low-Cost Sensors (LCS) in African Cities was held virtually on 16 June 2026, in the margins of the Africa Clean Air Forum (ACAF) 2026. Bringing together experts from Africa, Asia, and Europe, the event explored practical approaches to building sustainable low-cost sensor (LCS) networks that generate reliable air quality data to support policy, research, and public health. The Network Center participated in the Sensor Network Town Hall on behalf of EANET.
.
Sharing East Asia’s experience to strengthen air quality monitoring in Africa
In his opening remarks, Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha of Makerere University, Uganda, emphasized the importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and local capacity to build sustainable air quality monitoring systems across African cities. He also noted that the discussions would inform the Africa Clean Air Forum (ACAF) 2026 Sensor Management Workshop and contribute to the development of regional best practices for sensor network management.
.
Following this, and on behalf of the Network Center for the EANET, hosted by the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), Dr. Keiichi Sato presented “Developing Guidelines and Operational Frameworks for Low-Cost Sensor Networks: Lessons from EANET.” During his presentation, he highlighted EANET’s work on developing Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Networks (HAQMN), which integrate low-cost sensors with reference-grade monitors to produce reliable, quality-assured air quality data while expanding monitoring coverage at a lower cost. Drawing on demonstration projects in several countries in Southeast Asia, he shared lessons on sensor deployment, calibration, quality assurance, operational procedures, and capacity building. He noted that EANET has also developed technical guidelines, operational manuals, and training programmes to help countries, including outside of the EANET, establish and manage sustainable hybrid monitoring networks.
.
Common challenges, shared solutions
The Sensor Network Town Hall highlighted that many of the challenges faced by African cities are similar to those encountered in East and Southeast Asia. Dr. Hermínio Cossa, from the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM), presented Mozambique’s BLAZE Project, which is expanding PM₂.₅ monitoring across urban and rural areas using reference-grade instruments while providing real-time, open-access air quality data. The project also supports public awareness, policy development, and stronger air quality management, while addressing practical challenges such as equipment importation, infrastructure constraints, and long-term network maintenance.
.
.
Achim Haug, Founder and CEO of AirGradient, introduced an open-source air quality monitoring toolkit developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Designed for governments, municipalities, civil society, and communities, the toolkit provides practical guidance to plan, deploy, and maintain affordable monitoring networks. It emphasizes capacity building, high data quality, affordability, and local ownership of air quality data, helping ensure that monitoring networks remain sustainable over the long term.
.
Building partnerships for cleaner air
Across the presentations, speakers emphasized that successful air quality monitoring depends not only on technology but also on robust quality assurance, institutional capacity, open data, and strong partnerships. The Sensor Network Town Hall reinforced the importance of international collaboration in strengthening air quality monitoring systems and demonstrated how knowledge exchange between regions can accelerate evidence-based policies for cleaner air and healthier communities.
.
Access the EANET Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Network Guidelines.
.
Useful resources:
.
Photo credits: Featured photo by Clinton Mwebaze (2022).