The Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, and the President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, have called for increased investment in weather and climate services to address Africa’s observation gaps and strengthen early-warning systems.
They made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Alliance for Hydromet Development, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos state, South West Nigeria.
In his welcome address, Prof Anosike, who is also Nigeria’s Permanent Representative with the WMO, said Africa accounts for approximately 30 per cent of the global weather and climate observation deficit.
He noted that the continent has only about 12.5 per cent of the minimum weather station density recommended by the WMO, with compliance rates of seven per cent for surface land stations and nine per cent for upper-air stations across 53 African countries.
Anosike called for increased investment in observation infrastructure, remote sensing, data analytics and digital platforms, stressing that government funding alone cannot meet the growing demand for reliable weather and climate information.
He also highlighted NiMet’s contributions to aviation safety, agriculture, maritime operations and disaster risk management, emphasising the need to translate meteorological information into actionable guidance and strengthen early-warning systems.
Prof. Anosike also expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Tinubu, and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for their support in strengthening NiMet’s institutional capacity and operational efficiency.
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In his remarks, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Dr Abdulla Al Mandous urged Nigeria and other African countries to prioritise investment in meteorological and hydrological services to protect lives and livelihoods while supporting sustainable economic development.
He described the period leading to 2030 as critical for closing capacity gaps in weather and climate services.
The WMO president commended Nigeria’s growing role in regional cooperation, noting that the country had transitioned from receiving technical support to sharing expertise with other nations.
He cited Nigeria’s support to Burkina Faso as a peer reviewer under the Country Hydromet Assessment initiative as an example of the country’s contribution to regional capacity development.
“Our direction is clear: to turn assessments into investments, investments into lasting capacity, and early warnings into early action that saves lives and livelihoods,” Al Mandous said.
He urged governments and development partners to strengthen institutional frameworks, expand partnerships with key economic sectors and promote regional cooperation to improve the delivery of weather and climate services.
The three-day meeting brings together governments, development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and identify investment priorities aimed at closing capacity gaps in weather, water and climate services by 2030.
