By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have agreed to deepen their collaboration on earth observation systems, including plans to develop a meteorological satellite to support sustainable national development.
The commitment was made on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Director-General/Chief Executive of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike.
Both agencies said the strengthened partnership would enhance the delivery of accurate and reliable earth system observations to support key sectors of the economy, improve climate resilience and strengthen disaster preparedness.
Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to reinforcing its existing relationship with NASRDA, stressing that meteorological observations play a critical role in safeguarding lives and property, promoting climate-smart decision-making and enhancing anticipatory actions against weather-related risks.
He also highlighted NiMet’s efforts to adopt emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve weather and climate service delivery across the country.
On his part, Dr. Adepoju proposed collaboration on the development of a meteorological satellite, saying the initiative would position Nigeria as a continental leader in space weather observation. He also identified other areas of cooperation, including meteorological support for the operationalization of hot-air balloons as well as knowledge sharing, capacity building and training.
The two chief executives also underscored the importance of greater private sector participation in earth observation systems to drive innovation and investment.
To strengthen the partnership, both agencies agreed to review and update their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the aim of making it more forward-looking, actionable and capable of delivering measurable contributions to Nigeria’s sustainable socio-economic development.
