The Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has said Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is vital to modern meteorological services, driving advancements in weather forecasting, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
Professor Anosike made this known on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Inuwa in Abuja
The visit aimed to strengthen collaboration and explore strategic areas of partnership between both agencies.
Welcoming the NiMet delegation, Mr. Inuwa noted that the partnership between both agencies was long overdue, adding that “better late than never.”
He reiterated that ICT serves as a catalyst for transformation across all sectors and reaffirmed NITDA’s mandate to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in critical national sectors.
In his remarks, Professor Anosike underscored the importance of ICT in enhancing the credibility and efficiency of NiMet’s services, particularly in aviation, agriculture, marine operations, and disaster risk management.
Anosike stated that leveraging ICT would enable NiMet to deliver more precise and timely weather information to support national development.
Highlighting NiMet’s growing technological capacity, the DG revealed that the agency’s staff had developed METEOWIZ an indigenous weather solution built entirely in-house.
According to him, the innovation — the first of its kind in Africa — demonstrates NiMet’s leadership in meteorological technology and opens new opportunities for exportable digital solutions.
Professor Anosike added that the collaboration with NITDA would support standardization, promote innovation, and enhance the agency’s technological ecosystem.
Both organizations agreed to formalize their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on ICT-driven improvements in meteorological data management, digital transformation, and joint capacity-building.
To operationalize the partnership, the two Director Generals also agreed to establish a joint technical committee that will identify and implement specific collaborative projects, integrating advanced IT solutions into NiMet’s operations and expanding digital meteorological services nationwide.
The meeting marks a significant milestone in fostering synergy between Nigeria’s meteorological and ICT sectors.
The partnership between NiMet and NITDA is expected to drive innovation, improve service delivery, and contribute to the country’s sustainable development agenda.
