Air pollution is a major challenge in North Africa, but a comprehensive synthesis of biological monitoring (biomonitoring) approaches for the region is absent. This systematic review addresses this gap by providing the first methodologically appraised analysis of scientific evidence (2014 to 2024) on the use of bioindicators for air quality assessments across North Africa. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251166809). Following PRISMA guidelines, searches in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science identified 508 records, with 32 studies included for synthesis. The analysis revealed that lichens are the predominant bioindicators (62.5%, 20/32), notably Xanthoria parietina, followed by vascular plants (31.3%, 10/32). Research is heavily focused on heavy metals (78.1%, 25/32), particularly lead, zinc and copper, whereas gaseous pollutants and particulate matter remain underrepresented. Despite employing advanced analytical techniques, the studies exhibit significant methodological limitations: only 15.6% calculated bioaccumulation factors, 18.8% used transplantation techniques, and correlations with instrumental air quality data were rare. This methodological inconsistency constrains quantitative risk assessment and regional data comparability. This review provides new knowledge by quantifying thematic biases, systematically appraising methodological quality against predefined criteria and translating these findings into a strategic framework, including standardized protocols and a regional network, tailored to North Africa’s arid environments. Accordingly, we recommend establishing standardized regional protocols, integrating biological and physicochemical data and creating a coordinated North African biomonitoring network to generate comparable, context-aware data for evidence-based air quality management in the region’s unique arid and semiarid environments. Keywords: Biomonitoring · Air quality · Lichens · Heavy metals · North Africa · Methodological gaps.