Select staff members of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) will participate in a training programme sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Building Agricultural Systems Resilience in Nigeria Project (2024-2026), being implemented by Sahel Consulting.
Previously, NiMet staff have also benefited from similar training under this partnership. The training will be facilitated by the project’s key technical partner, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), which is part of the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University.
The training programme consists of two parts: the training of trainers (ToT) session, scheduled from February 18 to 21, 2025, followed by the training session administered by NiMet staff for participants from relevant ministries and agencies under the supervision of an IRI resource person, taking place from February 24 to 28, 2025. On February 17, 2025, the director-general of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike welcomed a research scientist with IRI, Dr. Tufa Dinku to discuss the preparations for the training. Anosike expressed gratitude to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the training providers for the opportunity to enhance the skills of NiMet staff. He stated, “Access to high-quality climate data and information is crucial for developing effective, decision-relevant and sustainable climate services. This training will enhance the capacity of our staff, as well as the beneficiaries, to effectively use climate information products.”
