By Nkechi Eze
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Charles Anosike, has called for the adoption of innovative technological solutions to strengthen climate resilience in Nigeria, highlighting the growing importance of artificial intelligence, satellite technology, and big data analytics in modern meteorology.
Prof. Anosike made the call while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Conference of the Nigerian Meteorological Society (NMetS) and its 35th Annual General Meeting held at the University of Lagos, Akoka.
Commending the society for convening the conference, the NiMet boss noted that the theme, “Advancing Meteorology: Harnessing AI, Satellites, and Big Data for Climate Resilience and Sustainability,” reflects the urgent need to transform scientific knowledge into practical solutions capable of protecting lives, livelihoods, and national development in the face of intensifying climate risks.
According to him, climate change has moved beyond theoretical discussions and is now a reality affecting societies and economies worldwide.
“Climate change is no longer a distant concern. It is a lived reality, expressed through rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, flooding, droughts, heatwaves, and increasing weather extremes that affect ecosystems, economies, and societies, especially in Africa,” he said.
Prof. Anosike highlighted Nigeria’s evolving climate challenges, including rising temperature extremes, shifting rainfall patterns, desertification across the northern regions, and increasing coastal erosion in the southern parts of the country.
He stressed that traditional approaches to meteorology can no longer adequately address the complex nature of these emerging climate threats, emphasizing that artificial intelligence, satellite technologies, and big data analytics now play transformative roles in improving forecasting and climate services.
The NiMet Director General explained that AI-driven forecasting systems combined with satellite observations and high-performance computing have become central to the agency’s operations, enabling the delivery of accurate, timely, and impact-based weather predictions.
He further revealed that NiMet has been strengthening its technological capabilities through strategic collaborations with global partners including AIM for Scale, Ignitia, Tomorrow.io, the Korean Meteorological Administration, and the China Meteorological Administration to integrate artificial intelligence into operational meteorological services.
Prof. Anosike also noted that the agency’s Digital Climate Advisory Service (DCAS) is already supporting climate-smart agriculture by providing farmers with weather-based advisory information designed to improve productivity and resilience.
He emphasized that professional bodies, researchers, and educators must play a leading role in advancing meteorological science and strengthening climate services across the country.
Calling for broader collaboration, he urged the private sector and civil society organizations to support the development of stronger meteorological observation systems and climate information services.
The NiMet chief also encouraged the Nigerian Meteorological Society to continue mentoring young professionals, promote ethical research, and help bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and public policy in line with the United Nations Early Warnings for All initiative.
He reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to leveraging science, innovation, and emerging technologies to support national development and build a climate-resilient Nigeria.
At the conference, Prof. Anosike was also honoured with a fellowship and commendation award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to meteorological services and climate science advancement.
