In a sweeping new survey that reflects the growing urgency of the climate crisis in Africa, nearly half of those aware of climate change across the continent believe their own governments should bear the primary responsibility for combating its impacts. The findings, published in the journal Nature, draw from Afrobarometer the largest public opinion survey in Africa and shed light on how citizens across 39 countries are assigning blame and demanding accountability for a crisis that is fast reshaping their lives.
Of the 53,444 people surveyed, 26,735 respondents said they were aware of climate change. Among this informed group, 45 per cent pointed to their national governments as the ones who must lead the charge against the unfolding environmental crisis. Another 30 per cent placed that responsibility on ordinary citizens themselves suggesting a strong undercurrent of grassroots awareness and readiness for local action.
Comparatively, only 13 per cent held historical emitters namely wealthier, industrialised countries responsible, while just 8 per cent assigned blame to business and industry. A mere 4 per cent named traditional leaders, indicating a broad consensus that modern political structures must take centre stage in climate response.
The findings also reveal deep regional variations in public sentiment. In West Africa, the expectation that governments must lead is especially strong with countries like Nigeria, Liberia, The Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal all showing a majority consensus. Nigeria topped the list with a staggering 76 per cent of respondents placing primary responsibility on their national government.
In East Africa, the picture is more nuanced. In nations such as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia, public opinion is divided more evenly between government responsibility and personal or community action hinting at a shared sense of duty among both leaders and citizens.
Meanwhile, in the island nations of Cabo Verde, Seychelles, Mauritius, and São Tomé and Príncipe, citizens are far more likely to hold high-emitting countries accountable. These coastal states, uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise and climate-related disasters, are increasingly aware of the global roots of their local climate risks.
Interestingly, traditional leaders still hold notable influence in southern African countries like Malawi and Zimbabwe, where 9 per cent of those surveyed placed responsibility in the hands of local community elders suggesting that Indigenous knowledge and leadership remain vital to climate resilience strategies.
The study also explored which factors influence public opinion on climate responsibility. People who believed both governments and individuals should act were more likely to be better educated, less impoverished, and have wider access to media and information technology.
Another key driver of accountability was trust in public institutions. Respondents who rated their local governments as more transparent, accessible, and professional were also more likely to demand climate action from those same institutions a reminder that trust and expectation often go hand in hand.
However, the researchers caution that the data only reflects the views of people already familiar with climate change. Large portions of the population remain unaware or misinformed, which could skew perceptions of where true accountability lies. The authors call for expanded public education and further research into the intersection of awareness, responsibility, and civic trust.
Africa may contribute only a tiny share of global greenhouse gas emissions, but it is one of the regions most vulnerable to their effects from devastating droughts and floods to food insecurity and health crises. This latest survey confirms what many African citizens have long felt: while the roots of climate change may lie elsewhere, the solution must begin at home.
As the climate crisis continues to deepen, African voices are growing louder, clearer, and more insistent demanding leadership not just from global powers, but from their own elected officials. The message is simple: the time for waiting is over. The time to act is now.