In collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency is actively training 17 participants from 16 nations on the Early Warning System.
Opening the two-week program, Director General Professor Mansur Bako Matazu emphasized the theme “Early Warning for All,” targeting meteorologists and climate scientists across the subregion.
Holding at NiMet Regional Headquarters from December 11th to 22nd, the training brings together participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon. Others are from Central Africa Republic, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Gabon.
Represented by Director Daniel Okafor, the DG highlighted that the training fosters synergy for measuring, reporting, predicting, and monitoring impending extreme weather events.

He emphasized the global nature of weather, urging nations to collaborate proactively to combat climate change’s negative impacts by providing actionable services.
The workshop’s goal is to enhance participants’ capacity to predict and respond to weather-related hazards, empowering them to implement early warning systems upon returning to their respective bases.
In an interview, Director Daniel Okafor praised Nigeria’s efforts to disseminate meteorological information beyond the elite, ensuring it reaches grassroots levels.
He affirmed NiMet’s collaboration with agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency, emphasizing their role in acting upon provided information.
Director of Research and Training, Professor Effiong Okoh, clarified that the training’s objective is to enhance capacity. Similarly, he said the training focuses on making the Early Warning System accessible to non-technical individuals through simple language.