OPERA Capacity Development : Africa’s Ocean Forecasting Future Is Already Underway and Growing Stronger

Why Ocean Forecasting Cannot Wait 

In sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people depend directly on coastal and marine resources for their livelihoods — from fishing communities on the Gulf of Guinea to port operators along the Atlantic seaboard, from meteorological agencies trying to anticipate extreme weather to to local authorities and coastal planners managing flood risk, while policymakers focus more on national adaptation and mitigation plans. Yet the tools, training, and institutional infrastructure needed to harness ocean forecasting have long lagged the urgency of the challenge. 

OPERA — Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa — is designed to close that gap. Launched in 2025 as a five-year, €10 million project funded by the European Union under its ARC-X programme supporting African Regional Centres of Excellence, for the green transition and sustainable development, OPERA is implemented by Mercator Ocean International in its role as coordinator of the Ocean Prediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC). 

A Webinar That Opened Doors 

The online webinar held on 18 February gathered 60 live participants, showing a clear interest in the topic. Broadcast simultaneously on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube in English and French, the session was opened by Professor Ezinvi Baloïtcha, Programme Supervisor at the ICMPA-UNESCO Chair (Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Benin), who set the African context: ocean science is not an abstraction for this continent — it is a matter of community resilience, food security, and informed governance. 

Yandeh Sallah-Muhammed (Communication and User Engagement, OceanPrediction DCC) then walked participants through the broader OPERA project architecture: three consortia of institutions from coastal sub-Saharan African countries, selected through competitive open calls, will develop regional and coastal ocean forecasting systems, with applications guided by local priorities in marine conservation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable blue economy, co-designed with African partners.  

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The Capacity Development Imperative 

A dedicated component — the OPERA Capacity Development activities — sits at the heart of this effort. Implemented by the ICMPA-UNESCO Chair in collaboration with the Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS), it delivers a progressive learning pathway that takes participants from ocean literacy all the way to operational forecasting competence. 

Dr. Babette Christelle Tchonang, Technical and Scientific Lead, presented the project's six work packages: Ocean Literacy for the general public; four sets of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses); SEA-FORWARD, an advanced interactive learning tool; advanced interactive activities (workshops, webinars, hackathons); content exploitation and feedback mechanisms; and structured certification pathways. 

"This project will raise awareness within the African community about ocean forecasting, develop forecasting skills through theoretical and practical courses, and strengthen the operational capacities of African institutions. It will have a significant impact on the management of coastal communities, their resilience, and associated services.

— Babette Christelle Tchonang, Technical & Scientific Lead, OPERA Capacity Development 

What will change concretely?

By the time OPERA Capacity Development activities conclude in February 2029, comprehensive, bilingual (English and French) educational materials, multi-level training, and certification activities will be available. The MOOCs will be open to all, inviting participants from universities, national meteorological agencies, port authorities, media, NGOs, and government bodies worldwide to enroll in advanced training activities. Through the DCC, these resources will also be made globally accessible. Certifications earned through the programme are designed to strengthen professional profiles and support funding applications in related fields. 

"Ocean literacy will provide accessible and bilingual materials explaining the value of ocean forecasting, its societal benefits, and the role of OPERA and the OceanPrediction DCC Coordination Center for Africa." 

— Babette Christelle Tchonang, Technical & Scientific Lead, OPERA Capacity Development

SEAFORWARD will enable hands-on practice with ocean forecasting methodologies using real data from the Copernicus Marine Service, offering a practical digital training environment accessible through the cloud without requiring specialized infrastructure. 

Key Dates 

• First MOOC (Fundamentals of Ocean Forecasting): Applications April-May 2026 

• Project execution phase: December 2025 - February 2029  

• Hosting platform: IOC/OTGA (Ocean Teacher Global Academy)  

• Advanced activities: via Zoom and Mercator Ocean's platform 

A Community in the Making 

 Beyond training, the initiative focuses on strengthening the African ocean forecasting community through the Ocean Prediction DCC Atlas. It is our community-building framework, which offers a comprehensive guide to ocean forecasting services worldwide. 

Participants can identify community members (ocean enthusiasts, researchers, decision-makers), public and private institutions engaged at the forefront of ocean forecasting, highlighting their work and contributions. The Atlas “Ocean Forecast Systems” section identifies existing operational systems, and the “Use Cases” section highlights concrete applications and success stories where ocean forecasting has had a tangible impact. 

What emerged most vividly from the webinar's lively Q&A session was a community already eager to engage. Questions ranged from certification requirements and minimum scores to whether national meteorological agencies could enroll staff collectively (yes, and they are explicitly encouraged to do so). 

The call for the first MOOC cohort is coming soon. For anyone working in ocean science, climate, coastal management, or related field — the window is open. 

Funded by the European Union. Implemented by Mercator Ocean International. Delivered by the ICMPA-UNESCO Chair and GGOSSS.