Africa Has Only 12.5% Of Required Weather Stations, NiMet, WMO Warn

The Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, and the President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Dr Abdulla Ahmed Al Mandous, have called for increased investment in weather and climate services across Africa to address critical data gaps and strengthen early-warning systems.

They made the call at the opening of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Alliance for Hydromet Development, which began on October 13 and will end on October 15 in Lagos.

Anosike, who also serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the WMO, said Africa faced significant gaps in weather observation infrastructure, warning that inadequate investment was undermining the continent’s capacity to provide reliable forecasts and timely early warnings.

According to him, Africa accounts for approximately 30 per cent of the global deficit in weather and climate observations, making it the region with the largest shortfall in basic meteorological data.

He disclosed that the continent has only about 12.5 per cent of the minimum weather station density recommended by the WMO.

Compliance with international standards remains particularly low, with surface land stations and upper-air stations recording rates of seven per cent and nine per cent, respectively, across 53 African countries.

The NiMet chief said addressing the gaps would require substantial investment in observation infrastructure, remote sensing technology, data analytics and digital platforms.

He stressed that government funding alone would not be sufficient, urging greater private-sector participation and stronger public-private partnerships to improve weather data collection, management and accessibility.

Anosike also highlighted the role of meteorological services in aviation safety, agriculture, maritime operations and disaster risk management, noting that weather forecasts must be translated into practical information to support decision-making and protect lives and livelihoods.

Similarly, Al Mandous urged Nigeria and other African countries to prioritise investment in meteorological and hydrological services to strengthen disaster preparedness and support sustainable economic development.

He described the period leading to 2030 as critical for closing existing capacity gaps, stressing the need for stronger institutions and sustained financial commitments.

The WMO president commended Nigeria for its growing contribution to regional cooperation, noting that the country had moved from receiving technical assistance to sharing expertise with other African nations.

He cited Nigeria’s support for Burkina Faso as a peer reviewer under the Country Hydromet Assessment initiative as an example of efforts to strengthen regional capacity.

Al Mandous called on governments and development partners to increase funding, improve institutional frameworks, expand collaboration with key economic sectors and deepen regional cooperation.

“Our direction is clear: to turn assessments into investments, investments into lasting capacity, and early warnings into early action that saves lives and livelihoods,” he said.

Anosike, in turn, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, for their support in strengthening NiMet’s institutional capacity and operational efficiency.

The three-day meeting has brought together government representatives, development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders to identify investment priorities and strengthen collaboration towards closing gaps in weather, water and climate services by 2030.