Nigeria, Morocco Partner on AI-Based Weather Forecast, Early Warning Systems

Margaret Ebeshi

The Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, and his Moroccan counterpart, Mohammed Dhkissi, have pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven weather forecasting and early warning systems for enhanced climate resilience.

The pledge was made when Prof. Anosike paid a working visit to the Directorate of General Meteorology in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The visit took place on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations Systematic Observation Financing Facility (SOFF) workshop for Peer Advisors and Implementing Entities in Casablanca.

Discussions during the meeting focused on drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and establishing a framework for collaboration covering several areas of mutual interest.

These include the implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) Centre in Abuja, the exchange of expertise and support for the establishment of an Instrument Calibration Centre, as well as joint initiatives in data management, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and education and training.

They also agreed to promote bilingual capacity building in French and English to reach a wider audience, deepen cooperation in Agricultural Meteorology and stakeholder engagement, and share knowledge and experience in the implementation of SOFF Peer Advisory Services, Numerical Weather Prediction, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in numerical modelling.

Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships that enhance scientific innovation and service delivery.

Both Prof. Anosike and Mr. Dhkissi reaffirmed the cordial relationship that already exists between NiMet and Morocco’s Meteorological Directorate, which has fostered cooperation in meteorological data exchange, participation in NiMet’s Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum, and Nigeria’s participation in ClimAfrica hosted by Morocco.

They pledged to further strengthen these ties through active participation in future events and collaborative cost-recovery initiatives aimed at promoting climate resilience and the long-term sustainability of both organisations.