The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has said the agency is deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionise weather forecasting, strengthen climate services for farmers and enhance food security across Nigeria and Africa.
Anosike disclosed this while participating in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Executive Council Side Event on “Scaling AI-Powered Weather Services for Farmers” held at the WMO Headquarters.
The high-level event brought together global leaders, meteorological experts and development partners to explore how AI can transform weather prediction, improve agricultural climate services and support food production through innovative partnerships.
Speaking at the session, Anosike stressed that the success of AI-driven weather forecasting depends largely on the availability of quality weather observations, urging greater investment in observation infrastructure to bridge Africa’s data gaps.
“Effective AI-powered weather forecasting begins with quality observations. Addressing observation and data gaps across Africa is critical to unlocking the full potential of Artificial Intelligence in meteorology,” he said.
According to a statement issued on Friday, Anosike also showcased NiMet’s strategic roadmap for integrating AI into its operations.
He disclosed that the agency inaugurated its AI Research Team in January 2026 to spearhead the identification, evaluation and operational deployment of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies.
Since then, NiMet has developed comprehensive AI Terms of Reference (TOR), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), an AI Operational Framework with phased implementation milestones, as well as documented AI use cases to guide the technology’s deployment.
The NiMet boss further revealed that the agency is currently evaluating leading AI-powered weather prediction models while developing the MeteoAI platform to improve weather forecasting, climate prediction, forecast verification and early warning services.
He added that NiMet is equally assessing the most cost-effective computing infrastructure required to support full-scale operational deployment of AI technologies.
Reaffirming the agency’s commitment to innovation, Anosike said NiMet would continue leveraging Artificial Intelligence and modern geospatial technologies to strengthen operational meteorology and advance the Early Warnings for All initiative across Africa.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at ensuring that farmers and vulnerable communities receive timely, accurate and actionable weather and climate information to support agricultural productivity and build resilience against climate-related disasters.
