..Unveils Reforms, Innovations, Early Warning Drive At Lagos Stakeholders’ Forum
BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has called for stronger partnerships and stakeholder collaboration to build a climate-resilient Nigeria through early warnings and climate-smart solutions.
Speaking at the 2025 NiMet Stakeholders’ Forum held on Wednesday at the Admiralty Event and Conference Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Anosike said the agency was committed to raising awareness on climate risks and promoting early action.
The forum, themed “Early Warnings: Raising Awareness on Climate Risks and Promoting Early Action,” was the first of its kind in NiMet’s history.
“This forum is aimed at creating a platform and opportunity for us to share our progress, collaborate, raise awareness, listen to your feedback, co-create solutions, and act towards building a climate-resilient Nigeria,” Anosike said.
He explained that NiMet, established as a federal government agency, has the statutory mandate to collect, process, and disseminate weather and climate information for the safety of lives and property, as well as to support socio-economic development.
While its home base is within the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development under Minister Festus Keyamo, SAN, Anosike stressed that its services cut across multiple sectors, from aviation to agriculture, marine, water resources, health, and disaster risk reduction.
Highlighting NiMet’s flagship Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), Anosike said the product has become an invaluable tool for farmers and other sectors.
“The SCP provides information on onset and cessation of rainfall, dry spells, and temperature forecasts. To improve uptake, it is translated into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Pidgin and disseminated across communities to enable better planning and climate-smart decision-making,” he explained.
In aviation, he noted that NiMet had embraced digitalisation through the Electronic Flight Folder, which provides pilots and airlines with real-time weather briefings.
He also revealed that five airports, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu, had secured ISO certification, with plans to expand the list.
Anosike further outlined NiMet’s efforts in disaster risk reduction through partnerships with NEMA and NIHSA, its expansion into marine and blue economy services in collaboration with NIMASA and NIWA, and the launch of Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) in line with the UN’s target of universal early warning coverage by 2027.
“We are partnering with Tomorrow.io, MTN Nigeria, Sahel Consulting, UNDP, FAO, and others to ensure that every Nigerian is covered by actionable weather and climate information,” he stated.
The DG also showcased innovations such as Meteowiz, NiMet’s in-house developed technology for real-time data transmission, and the agency’s expanding research and training capacity through WMO-certified institutions in Lagos and Katsina.
However, Anosike stressed that sustaining these services required continuous investment and stronger collaboration.
“Despite limited resources, service quality has never been compromised. But government subvention alone can no longer sustain the growing demands of weather and climate services,” he said, urging more active partnerships.
He concluded with a rallying call: “Early warnings must not end with the forecast alone. They must inspire understanding and drive decisive action. Together, we can make early warnings count, reduce risks, protect investments, and secure the future of our nation in the face of a changing climate.”
