Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Monday, March 24, 2025, sought stakeholders’ partnership to enhance climate-resilient economy globally.
Its Director-General, Prof. Charles Anosike, made the call in Abuja at the commemoration of the 2025 World Meteorological Day themed “Closing the Early Warning Gaps Together”.
Anosike said such partnership would ensure that no one was left behind in accessing life-saving weather and climate information.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on all stakeholders in the weather and climate service value chain to work together, across sectors and borders, to ensure that no one is left behind in accessing life-saving weather and climate information.
“It is our collective duty to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening early warning systems and building partnerships that enhance weather and climate-resilient economic development and close the early warning gaps together.
“To our young students here today, I therefore encourage you to take an active interest in understanding the dynamics of weather and climate, as your contributions will be vital in addressing the challenges ahead.“ he said.
The NiMet D-G recalled that the commemoration of the 2025 World Meteorological Day came into force on March 23, 1950, of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
He explained that the annual event provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the role of meteorology in building a climate-resilient society and safeguarding lives and livelihoods to strengthen early warning capabilities globally.
He said investing in early warning systems would save countless lives and livelihoods, generate ten times return on investment and strengthen economies.
He added that there was progress made in expanding early warning systems coverage worldwide as climate variability and extreme weather events continued being experienced.
He said NiMet had been engaged in strengthening forecasting and dissemination capabilities to ensure communities and individuals prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events to support the global endeavour.
The director-general said the agency remained at the forefront of advancing early warning systems through science-based weather and climate services.
Anosike stated that NiMet’s Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), daily weather forecast, and bulletins, impact-based forecast and other publications had proven instrumental in disaster risk reduction across all socio-economic sectors.
According to Anosike, modernised hydrometeorological infrastructure is key to enhancing early warning and a solid step towards reducing the early warning gaps.
“At NiMet, we continue to work towards upgrading our weather systems, providing quality observation and robust weather forecasts to trigger pre-emptive measures and equip stakeholders with necessary tools to interpret early warnings and respond with early actions.
“We need to recognise and pay tribute to one of our own and an esteemed pioneer in many aspects of meteorology and climate science, Prof. Godwin Obasi, former Secretary General, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
“In his paper titled ‘WMO’s Role in International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction’, Obasi highlighted critical importance of research, observation, forecasting and collaborations in enhancing warning systems, risk assessment, technological exchange, public information, and training.”
The NiMet boss said that Obasi was one of the earliest scientists to recognise the role of early warnings in disaster risk management.
He said the unprecedented weather extremes in the past few years were surfacing early warning gaps like – inadequate finance and access to latest technologies, uncoordinated dissemination efforts, insecurity and maintainability of early warning systems needed to be proactively addressed.
Anosike added that closing the early warning gap required strong collaboration, coordination and cooperation between national and international partners, policymakers, the private sector, and local communities, especially the youth.
He explained that the government would not be able to do it alone.
The WMO Secretary-General, Ms. Celeste Saulo, said that the governments ought to lead the way and make collaboration the main key.
Saulo, who was represented by the WMO representative in Nigeria, Mr. Bernard Gomez, maintained that investing in National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) was about forecasting toward saving lives, strengthening economies, and securing the future.
“NMHS must remain the source of authoritative warnings, while the private sector can help drive innovation, strengthen dissemination, and enhance risk knowledge.
“The time to act is now,” Saulo said.
By Gabriel Agbeja