The Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike has called for increased investment in weather observation infrastructure and public-private partnerships to close Africa’s climate data gaps.
Anosike stated this on Tuesday at the ongoing 2026 Annual Meeting of the Alliance for Hydromet Development in Lagos.
He said Africa accounted for about 30 per cent of the global weather and climate observation deficit.
“Africa today has the largest basic weather and climate data gaps in the world, holding roughly 30% of the global observation deficit,” he said.
He disclosed that the continent had only 12.5 per cent of the minimum weather station density recommended by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), with surface land and upper-air station compliance at seven and nine per cent respectively.
Anosike said government funding alone could not bridge the gaps, urging investment in observation infrastructure, remote sensing and data analytics to improve early warnings and support aviation, agriculture and disaster management.
The WMO President, Dr Abdulla Ahmed Al Mandous, also urged African governments and development partners to prioritise meteorological and hydrological services, describing the period to 2030 as critical to closing capacity gaps.
He commended Nigeria for sharing technical expertise with other African countries, including supporting Burkina Faso under the Country Hydromet Assessment initiative.
“Our direction is clear: to turn assessments into investments, investments into lasting capacity, and early warnings into early action that saves lives and livelihoods,” Al Mandous said.
