Ahead of the public presentation of 2025 seasonal climate prediction (SCP) early in the coming year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMet), has held a stakeholders workshop in Abuja, to discuss the socio-economic impact of the SCP.
The stakeholders who cut across different sectors of the economy commended NiMet for its invaluable services towards Nigeria’s socio-economic development through the timely release of the SCP document every year.
While welcoming the stakeholders, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, said the stakeholders meeting is an essential process in the preparation of the 2025 SCP document.
He added that the NiMet is positioned to climate – proofing the economy by providing timely weather and climate information.
“Over the years, the SCP has evolved in scope, including the concept of co-development which is adequately supported by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
“This concept of co-development allows critical stakeholders to be part of the production process of weather and climate information to increase the depth and improve the accuracy and the relevance of information provided. This concept also makes the Stakeholders co-own the weather and climate information generated.
“I urge us all to reflect on the observed events of the various components of 2024 prediction, their socio-economic impacts across sectors and use our experiences to generate more robust advisories for the 2025 prediction to improve livelihoods, secure the nation’s food security status, and make our people resilient,” ”, Prof. Anosike said.
Representative of the WMO in Nigeria, Dr. Bernard Gomez, represented by Dr. Rowland Abah, commended NiMet as it has been issuing the seasonal climate prediction for over 10 years.
“I wish to commend NiMet for organising this stakeholders’ workshop annually. It demonstrates NiMet’s capacity and leadership in forecasting weather and climate conditions. This is evident in the fact that NiMet now supports other African countries in producing their forecasts and building their capacity. This is highly commendable.”