Nairobi Installs First Next-Gen Satellite Data Station for Enhanced Weather Forecasting in Africa

The first of a series of PUMA-2025 receiving stations specifically designed to capture data from the next-generation of Meteosat geostationary satellites was installed today in Nairobi, Kenya. It will ensure that Kenyan meteorologists can use the most accurate and frequent data from the Meteosat-Third Generation (MTG) satellites to support the sustainable development of local communities and protect lives and livelihoods.

EUMETSAT supports the African Union Commission’s effort to set up a network of similar stations in several national weather and climate services across the entire continent in the following months. This will empower most African meteorologists and scientists with the most recent technology to receive and use MTG data.

EUMETSAT’s Meteosat satellites are the only Earth observation satellites that have a constant view of Africa. MTG will provide higher resolution images of Africa than is possible now and more frequently, that is, every 10 minutes.

The African Union and EUMETSAT signed an agreement in 2022 to ensure that the right infrastructure would be implemented to empower African users with data from MTG. The milestone we just passed ensures continuity of satellite data reception across the continent, enabling more efficient early warnings for all, more accurate forecasting of extreme weather events, and better protection for all.

Phil Evans, Director-General, EUMETSAT

The first PUMA station was installed almost 20 years ago, in February 2004, to receive Meteosat-Second Generation (MSG) data within the framework of the Preparation for Use of Meteosat in Africa (PUMA) project. Until now, thanks to the support of various EU-funded programmes in Africa (such as PUMA, AMESD, MESA) this infrastructure successfully enabled African weather and climate services across the entire continent to receive data from the Meteosat geostationary satellites in a timely and efficient way, to forecast and monitor extreme weather events. The current installations aim at upgrading the infrastructure for MTG; it will be accompanied by relevant trainings to maximise benefits for meteorologists and enable local maintenance.

Upcoming installations include a station in Cotonou, Benin, where the 16th EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa will take place. The event will provide a platform for African meteorologists to share knowledge and best practices on the use of the Meteosat data and discuss perspectives to improve Early Warning systems.