BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
To revolutionise weather forecasting for agriculture, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has partnered with AI-driven weather solutions provider Ignitia to deliver more accurate and timely forecasts to Nigerian farmers, aiming to boost productivity and strengthen climate resilience across the nation.
In his opening remarks at a recent engagement, Prof. Charles Anosike, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, highlighted the agency’s key role as Nigeria’s sole legal provider and regulator of weather and climate information. He assured the Ignitia team that NiMet is committed to granting access and licensing agreements to trusted private-sector partners, including Ignitia, to strengthen collaborative efforts in weather and climate services.
The partnership will focus on leveraging artificial intelligence to improve weather predictions and provide actionable advisories for decision-making. A key objective is to enhance the precision of forecasts for Nigerian farmers, thereby boosting agricultural productivity and strengthening climate resilience nationwide.
Both teams agreed to establish a joint technical committee within the next month to develop a comprehensive roadmap for integrating AI-driven weather prediction tools into NiMet’s advisory framework.
The roadmap will detail implementation phases, set measurable milestones, and define metrics to assess the partnership’s impact over time.
The collaboration, according to both parties, marks a significant step toward modernising Nigeria’s weather services, combining NiMet’s authoritative data with innovative AI technologies.
By aligning public expertise with private innovation, the initiative aims to deliver timely, reliable, and actionable climate information that empowers farmers, supports national food security, and enhances the country’s preparedness for climate variability.
