The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) recently completed its eight, yearly re-accreditation visit to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) Regional Training School (RTC) in Oshodi, Lagos.
The five-day re-accreditation, conducted by a WMO team from Geneva, Switzerland, was led by WMO’s coordinator of learning and development in the Education and Training Office, Dr. Paul Bugeac. Bugeac noted that the WMO previously received harsh complaints about NiMet’s RTC, which had been disheartening. “Things were really bad. I am impressed by what I am seeing here now and what I have learned about the RTC in the last couple of months. It’s good to see dedicated staff taking care of the students’ hostel facilities, cleaning rooms, and maintaining air conditioning and refrigerators.”
Bugeac also praised the addition of solar panels on all buildings, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply, independent of the national grid. He lauded Nigeria’s RTC as a model for others, appreciating the new training courses and perspectives the institution offers. “We will continue our collaboration. I salute Nigeria’s commitment and the commitment of Nigeria’s permanent representative with WMO and NiMet’s DG, Prof. Charles Anosike,” he added.
Expressing gratitude to Anosike for the hospitality, Bugeac requested that all necessary documentation be forwarded to complete the re-accreditation process. “We need to have all documents as soon as possible, as the report must be written and presented to the capacity development panel for promotion at the executive council meeting in June 2025,” Bugeac stated.
Responding, Anosike thanked Bugeac for acknowledging RTC’s progress. “I’m glad to hear that the re-accreditation only requires documentation. We have brilliant meteorologists and scientists at NiMet, and documentation will not be an issue. In four months, we’ve achieved a lot leading to this WMO visit. The institution is also recognised by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to offer diploma courses in related disciplines.”
Anosike credited the achievements to Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, for his dedication to RTC’s transformation, stating that Keyamo understood the importance of meteorology in safety protocols. “He traveled to Geneva to meet the WMO secretary-general and sends his appreciation. We await the report and are ready to respond positively,” Anosike concluded.
