The director-general and CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Nigeria’s representative with WMO, Prof. Charles Anosike hosted the director-general of AGRHYMET, Dr. Abdul Ali in his Abuja office.
AGRHYMET, a specialised institution of the Permanent Interstates Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), represents 13 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Togo.
Ali and his team visited Nigeria to take part in the Regional Forum Workshop on Seasonal Forecasts of Agro-hydro-climatic characteristics of the rainy season for the Sudanian and Sahelian zones of West Africa and the Sahel (PRESASS), currently happening in Abuja.
During the courtesy visit, various matters were discussed. NiMet and AGRHYMET agreed to enhance their collaboration in capacity building, focusing on crop modelling, the use of Climsoft (a climate database management tool) and forecasting dry spells and droughts.
The agencies also explored strengthening bilateral ties until Nigeria joins AGRHYMET. AGHRYMET and NiMet will collaborate on securing research grants, and providing on-the-job training and secondment opportunities for NiMet staff. NiMet is particularly interested in AGHRYMET’s sectoral connections.
Prof. Vincent Weli, NiMet’s director of weather forecasting services (WFS); Technical assistants to NiMet DG/CEO Mr. Oluwaseun Idowu and Mr. Zakari Haruna and chief meteorologist at NiMet, Mr. James Ijampy were also present during the visit.
