By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), in partnership with Sahel Consulting, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has unveiled the Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) initiative, a major step aimed at improving access to reliable climate information across Nigeria.
The initiative was launched during a two-day event in Abuja under the Building Agricultural Systems Resilience in Nigeria Project, funded by the Gates Foundation, and was accompanied by a Project Review Workshop attended by key stakeholders from the agriculture, health, water resources, blue economy and disaster management sectors.
ENACTS integrates ground-based observations with satellite data to generate user-friendly climate products tailored to national needs. Central to the launch was the official unveiling of NiMet’s Maproom portal, an online platform that offers more than 40 years of high-resolution climate data at a 4km grid. The portal features interactive tools for analysing and visualising climate trends, providing a critical resource for evidence-based planning in climate-sensitive sectors.
Speaking at the event, Director-General/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the launch as “the presentation of a vision brought to life through consistency, partnership, and a shared commitment to national development.” He emphasised that the ENACTS initiative marks a transformative moment in making climate data accessible, relevant and actionable for Nigerians.
Prof. Anosike noted that although the Maproom has wide-ranging applications, its impact on agriculture aligns strongly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for improved food and nutrition security. He explained that the platform provides farmers with precise rainfall projections, temperature forecasts, drought indicators and dry spell alerts, empowering them to adopt climate-smart practices, improve yields, and safeguard livelihoods.
Stakeholders at the Project Review Workshop engaged in sector-specific discussions and reviewed milestones, expressing confidence that the ENACTS initiative would fuel innovation, enhance early-warning systems and strengthen national resilience against climate-related shocks.
By bridging Nigeria’s climate information gap, ENACTS is expected to deepen disaster preparedness, advance climate-smart development, and further consolidate NiMet’s standing as one of Africa’s leading providers of meteorological services, all in support of the Federal Government’s food security and sustainable development objectives.
