NiMet, Climate Council Seal Deal to Strengthen Nigeria’s Climate Resilience, Early Warning Systems

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) have stepped up efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s climate resilience, agreeing to deepen collaboration on climate services, data management, research and early warning systems.

The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, to the Director-General of the NCCC Secretariat, Dr. Tenioye Majekodunmi.

Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Anosike said NiMet remains Nigeria’s repository of long-term meteorological records, providing the atmospheric data needed for climate trend analysis, climate risk assessments and the development of reliable climate projections.

He said stronger collaboration between the two agencies would enhance the development of climate projections, improve the standardisation of climate data and support joint research to provide policymakers with credible scientific evidence for climate-related decisions.

According to him, the partnership would also improve the translation of global climate projections into localised advisories for communities and sectors vulnerable to climate change, helping to boost adaptation and mitigation efforts across the country.

The NiMet boss further noted that access to quality meteorological and climate data is critical to securing international climate finance, adding that both institutions could jointly develop funding proposals for projects focused on climate resilience, early warning systems and climate infrastructure.

In his response, Dr. Majekodunmi welcomed the NiMet delegation and praised the agency’s contributions to weather forecasting and climate services, describing the collaboration as timely in view of the growing threats posed by climate change.

He expressed the Council’s readiness to work closely with NiMet to strengthen Nigeria’s climate governance and improve the country’s capacity to respond to climate risks.

As part of the outcome of the meeting, both organisations agreed to formalise their relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will provide a framework for sustained cooperation in climate services, climate data management, research, capacity building and early warning systems.

The planned partnership is expected to support the implementation of evidence-based climate policies while enhancing national efforts to safeguard lives, livelihoods and the environment against the impacts of climate change.