Technology-Enabled Adaptive Knowledge Architecture for Humanitarian Governance (TAKAH) as an Enabler for Disaster Risk Management: An African-Global Comparative Analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming disaster information management by enhancing hazard detection, vulnerability assessment, early warning systems, and evidence-based decision-making. Despite significant technological advances, many African countries continue to experience fragmented disaster information systems characterised by limited interoperability, inadequate institutional capacity, weak digital infrastructure, and constrained investment in advanced technologies. Existing disaster information management frameworks predominantly examine technologies such as AI, geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics in isolation, providing limited guidance on their integration into a coherent governance architecture. This study develops and validates the Technology-Enabled Adaptive Knowledge Architecture for Humanitarian Governance (TAKAH) Framework, an integrated digital governance model for AI-driven disaster information management. A qualitative comparative research design employing comparative document analysis was used to examine disaster information management systems in six African countries (Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Rwanda) and five global leaders (Japan, the United States, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand). Comparative thematic analysis focused on AI adoption, geospatial intelligence, predictive analytics, digital interoperability, institutional readiness, and governance arrangements. The findings indicate that countries with integrated digital ecosystems supported by robust governance, interoperable information systems, and sustained institutional investment consistently achieve superior disaster monitoring, early warning, vulnerability assessment, and emergency coordination. Conversely, fragmented digital infrastructures and weak institutional coordination continue to constrain disaster preparedness in many developing countries. The study proposes the TAKAH Framework as a comprehensive digital governance architecture that integrates AI, geospatial intelligence, predictive analytics, interoperable information systems, and adaptive governance into a unified disaster information management model. The framework contributes to contemporary disaster informatics literature by providing both a theoretical foundation and a practical roadmap for strengthening climate resilience and digital disaster governance in Africa and other disaster-prone developing regions.