NiMet urges private sector investment in weather, climate services
By: Abudu Olalekan
Prof Charles Anosike, Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, has called on the private sector to massively increase investment in weather and climate services across Nigeria and the wider region.
He made the call during opening remarks on Wednesday March 25, at the World Meteorological Day celebration in Abuja. This year’s theme is “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow”.
It’s a bigger ask than it might sound at first.
Anosike argued that government alone can not build and operate the scale of observation network that the country now needs. The private sector he says, has a huge role to play.
Companies can invest in new weather stations, remote sensing technology, data analytics platforms and AI forecasting models. All of this can complement and extend the existing national network.
“We recognise that public-private collaboration is essential to building a robust, sustainable observation system” he told attendees.
Partnerships spread the cost. They improve data sharing. They drive innovation much faster than the public sector can manage on its own.
“This theme is more than a slogan. It is a call to action. Investing in these systems today safeguards our future. It gives us accurate forecasts. It builds real climate resilience.”
The point he kept coming back to is that this work is permanent. Every weather station installed today, every observation collected right now, will improve our understanding of the atmosphere for the next 50 years.
There is no trick to meteorology. Accurate forecasts, early warnings, climate outlooks. All of it, every single one, depends entirely on reliable, timely data coming in from land, water, air and space.
Anosike said NiMet has been working as fast as it can to modernise Nigeria’s infrastructure. They are expanding surface and upper air networks, rolling out new automatic weather stations and upgrading satellite data systems.
This stuff touches everything. Safer aviation. Better agricultural planning. Disaster preparedness. Maritime safety. There is barely a sector of the economy that does not rely on this data.
NiMet is also supporting other countries in the region. Through the WMO Voluntary Cooperation Programme they provide technical advice to Liberia, Niger, Somalia and Burkina Faso on building out their own observation capacity.
But for all this progress, it is not enough.
Climate change has turned the dial up. Extreme weather events are more frequent, more intense. And to make matters worse, they are also wearing out monitoring equipment far faster than anyone had planned for.
Everyone relies on this data now. Governments, communities, businesses. All of them need better, faster forecasts to protect lives and keep the economy running.
Anosike cited the 2025 Nigeria Climate report to drive the point home. 23 cities recorded maximum temperatures over 40°C last year. Nguru in Yobe State saw 100 days above 40 degrees.
Floods are also getting worse every year. And without good observation data, there is simply no way to anticipate them or respond properly.
The good news, he says, is that this is no longer just a public service. There is now a clear commercial case for private sector investment. Governments he added, will need to back this up with policy support, incentives and tax breaks.
He closed with a direct appeal.
“I call on industry leaders, technology innovators, research institutions, banks and development partners. Come and work with us to expand this network.”
“As we mark World Meteorological Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to strengthening observations, deepening partnerships, and investing in the science that protects our present and preserves our future.”
World Meteorological Day is held globally every March 23, to mark the founding of the World Meteorological Organisation. For most people it passes completely unnoticed. But there are very few international days that have a bigger impact on more peoples lives.
