NiMet, NASRDA Deepen Partnership On Earth Observation, Meteorological Satellite
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have agreed to strengthen collaboration on earth observation systems to enhance weather, climate and space-based services in support of Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.
The commitment was made on Thursday in Abuja when the Director-General of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike.
Both agencies said they would deepen cooperation by leveraging their respective mandates to provide more accurate and reliable earth system observations for sectors critical to national development.
Speaking during the meeting, Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with NASRDA, stressing that meteorological observations remain vital for protecting lives and property, supporting climate-smart decision-making and improving community resilience through anticipatory action.
He also highlighted NiMet’s drive towards adopting emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve weather forecasting and overall service delivery.
“Our collaboration is essential to improving earth system observations for national development. We are committed to reinforcing this partnership while embracing technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to enhance service delivery,” Anosike said.
On his part, Adepoju proposed joint efforts towards developing a Nigerian meteorological satellite, saying the initiative would position the country as a continental leader in space weather observation.
He also identified other areas for collaboration, including meteorological support for the operationalisation of hot-air balloons as well as joint knowledge-sharing, capacity building and specialised training programmes.
The two chief executives also underscored the need for greater private sector participation in earth observation systems to expand innovation and investment in the sector.
They agreed to review and update the existing Memorandum of Understanding between both agencies to make it more forward-looking, actionable and measurable in driving sustainable national socioeconomic development.
