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African weather forecasters are now benefiting from direct access to next-generation satellite data following the completion of a continent-wide network of reception stations developed through a partnership involving EUMETSAT, the African Union Commission and the European Union.

The milestone was announced as about 150 meteorologists, scientists and weather service representatives gathered in Eswatini for the five-day User Forum in Africa, organised by EUMETSAT and the Eswatini Meteorological Service. The event is providing a platform for participants to share their first operational experiences using data from EUMETSAT’s Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellites.

According to EUMETSAT, the full network of 56 PUMA-2025 reception stations is now operational across Africa, alongside a processing chain that converts satellite observations into products ready for use by weather forecasters.

The deployment is expected to significantly strengthen weather monitoring and early-warning capabilities across the continent, where ground-based observation networks remain limited in many regions. MTG satellites provide updated images of Africa every 10 minutes, compared with every 15 minutes under the previous Meteosat system, enabling forecasters to track rapidly evolving weather systems with greater speed and precision.

The new-generation satellites also provide lightning detection data, a critical tool for monitoring severe storms and issuing warnings to communities and sectors vulnerable to extreme weather.

The forum comes as Africa prepares for what experts warn could be a particularly strong El Niño event, bringing increased risks of floods, drought and other climate-related impacts on livelihoods across the continent. Participants endorsed a joint declaration calling for reliable satellite observations, enhanced early-warning systems and stronger capacities to transform weather data into actionable information.

EUMETSAT Director-General Phil Evans said the deployment marked the transition of MTG from a future capability into an operational resource available to weather services across Africa.

“MTG is no longer a future promise for Africa. It is now in the hands of forecasters across the continent,” Evans said. “With the PUMA reception station network now fully deployed, every African national meteorological service can access this new generation of observations.”

He added that the achievement demonstrated the value of long-term cooperation between the African Union Commission, the European Union, EUMETSAT and African meteorological services.

MTG products are distributed through EUMETSAT's EUMETCast Africa service to national meteorological agencies and regional climate centres. The network builds on investments made under the European Union-funded Climate Services for Infrastructure and Development (ClimSA) programme.

Further support is being provided through the Strengthening Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) project, a key component of the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme. The initiative aims to enhance Africa's capacity to process satellite imagery and improve early-warning services. SEWA is funded by the European Union under its Global Gateway strategy and jointly implemented by EUMETSAT, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the African Union Commission.

Beyond weather forecasting, discussions at the forum are focusing on applications of satellite data in climate services, hydrology, air quality monitoring, agriculture and renewable energy planning.

EUMETSAT has collaborated with African meteorological and hydrological services for more than 30 years, supporting access to satellite data, products and training. The outcomes of the Eswatini forum are expected to shape the next phase of the partnership as African countries strengthen their capacity to respond to increasingly complex weather and climate challenges.

Based in Darmstadt, Germany, EUMETSAT operates Europe's meteorological satellite fleet and provides real-time weather and climate data to its member states and international partners. Its satellite systems support weather forecasting, climate monitoring and disaster preparedness worldwide.