Advertisement
The Director General Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has issued a clarion call for urgent support through consistent investments to improve the nation’s early warning system.
He said this would ensure timely weather information dissemination that translates into decisive action across communities, particularly vulnerable rural areas.
Professor Anosike spoke at the 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum in Lagos, themed “Early Warnings: Raising Awareness on Climate Risks and Promoting Early Action.”
Despite financial constraints, Anosike noted NiMet has never compromised on service quality. The agency continues to expand its mandate while seeking collaboration with public and private sectors.
“Despite the limited resources available, our services remain uncompromised. We are expanding coverage in line with NiMet’s establishment Act. This is why I call for stronger support across all sectors to recover costs and improve delivery,” he said.
The NiMet DG emphasized that early warning must be more than just forecasts. He urged stakeholders to focus on bridging the warning-action gap, stressing that forecasts must trigger swift community-level responses.
“Climate variability and change, leading to frequent extreme events, threaten lives and livelihoods. Early warnings must inspire understanding and drive decisive action. That is why your presence and participation in this forum remain critical,” he added.
Speaking at the event, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Inna Binta Audu, highlighted the broader risks climate change poses to Nigeria’s development agenda.
She said the increasing frequency of climate-related hazards, such as floods, droughts, and extreme heat, threatens agriculture, health, transport, water, and infrastructure.
“These realities call for a coordinated, informed and proactive approach,” Audu said.
Audu stressed that the forum was particularly significant because it empowers stakeholders to understand hazards better and improve preparedness.
She urged for the integration of NiMet’s early warning mandate into national and sectoral planning.
“Servicing the system requires embedding NiMet’s data and warnings into all decision-making processes. Only then can we reduce vulnerabilities and protect communities from climate risks,” she stated.
The 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum ended with a collective agreement on the need for stronger collaboration to improve early warning effectiveness in Nigeria.
Participants committed to closer partnerships between NiMet, government agencies, and local communities.
By aligning weather forecasts with immediate responses, experts believe Nigeria can reduce the devastating impacts of climate hazards while safeguarding development priorities.
Advertisement
