By Nkechi Eze
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Professor Charles Anosike, has intensified efforts to strengthen meteorological research and innovation aimed at improving service delivery across critical sectors, with particular focus on Artificial Intelligence and aviation research.
This followed a strategic meeting between Professor Anosike and his counterpart, Director-General of the Meteorological Service Singapore, KOH LI-NA, on the sidelines of Ecosperity Week 2026 held in Singapore on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
During the meeting, both meteorological chiefs acknowledged the similarities in tropical weather patterns experienced by Nigeria and Singapore, as well as the strategic role meteorological services play in supporting the aviation industry in both countries.
The discussions centred on expanding collaboration between both agencies, particularly in accelerating the evaluation and integration of Artificial Intelligence models into meteorological operations to improve forecasting efficiency and accuracy.
The partnership is expected to enhance the speed and precision of weather forecasting, improve downscaling capabilities, and provide stronger socioeconomic support for sectors including aviation, agriculture, marine services, healthcare, and disaster risk reduction.
The meeting also examined opportunities for Nigeria to replicate Singapore’s successful model of joint aviation research collaboration involving meteorological and civil aviation authorities, with the aim of strengthening provider-user co-developed solutions within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Other areas discussed included cost-recovery frameworks and supporting legal structures, the deployment of AI to improve manpower productivity, and the importance of Quality Management Systems in driving operational efficiency and fostering a healthy work environment.
Both agencies are ISO-certified for aviation meteorological services and are members of the World Meteorological Organization. While Nigeria hosts the WMO Office for North, Central and West Africa, Singapore hosts the WMO Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific.
Professor Anosike and KOH LI-NA emphasized that stronger global partnerships, cross-border cooperation, and mutual learning in meteorology remain essential for improving capacity building, enhancing forecasting accuracy, and delivering life-saving early warning systems worldwide.
