By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has joined world leaders, meteorological experts, and development partners in charting the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven weather services for farmers at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Executive Council Side Event on “Scaling AI-Powered Weather Services for Farmers.” Geneva, Switzerland.
Prof. Anosike, who also serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the WMO, participated in the high-level meeting held at the WMO Headquarters, where discussions focused on harnessing AI to improve weather forecasting, strengthen climate services for agriculture, and enhance global food security through strategic partnerships.
Addressing participants, the NiMet DG stressed that the success of AI-powered weather forecasting depends on the availability of reliable meteorological observations and quality data. He called for greater investment in observation systems across Africa to bridge existing data gaps and unlock the full potential of AI in meteorology.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, Prof. Anosike disclosed that NiMet inaugurated its AI Research Team in January 2026 to spearhead the integration of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning into the Agency’s operations. Since then, the Agency has developed comprehensive AI governance instruments, including Terms of Reference (TOR), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), an AI Operational Framework with phased implementation milestones, and documented AI use cases to guide deployment.
He further revealed that NiMet is currently evaluating leading AI weather prediction models while developing the MeteoAI platform to improve weather forecasting, climate prediction, forecast verification, and early warning services.
The Agency is also assessing the most cost-effective computing infrastructure required for operational AI implementation.
Prof. Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to leveraging AI and modern geospatial technologies to strengthen operational meteorology and support the Early Warnings for All initiative across Africa. He said the Agency remains focused on ensuring that farmers and vulnerable communities receive more timely, accurate, and actionable weather and climate information to improve livelihoods and build resilience against climate-related risks.
