BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has met with his Moroccan counterpart, Mohammed Dhkissi, of the Directorate of General Meteorology (DGM), to strengthen collaboration in meteorology and climate resilience.
The bilateral meeting took place in Casablanca, Morocco, on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations Systematic Observation Financing Facility (SOFF) workshop for Peer Advisors and Implementing Entities.
During a guided tour of the DGM facility, both leaders discussed deepening cooperation in AI-driven weather forecasting and early warning systems.
They agreed to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize collaboration across key areas.
According to the joint resolution, the partnership will focus on supporting the establishment of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) Centre in Abuja, setting up an instrument calibration centre in Nigeria, and exchanging technical expertise in data management and ICT.
Professor Anosike noted that the initiative would “advance Africa’s capacity to generate and share real-time weather intelligence essential for sustainable development.”
Both parties also agreed to collaborate on education and training — particularly bilingual instruction in French and English — and to share best practices in Agricultural Meteorology and Numerical Weather Prediction, including the integration of Artificial Intelligence in numerical modelling.
While acknowledging the existing cordial relationship between the two organisations, Anosike and Dhkissi reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening meteorological cooperation.
“We will continue to work together in promoting data exchange, peer learning, and climate resilience initiatives,” they pledged.
The meeting highlights a growing partnership aimed at leveraging technology and expertise to enhance weather prediction accuracy and support climate-smart decision-making across Africa.
