UniAbuja, NiMet Deepen Partnership on Smart Climate Project

By Iyojo Ameh

The University of Abuja and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have strengthened their partnership to advance the Smart Climate Project, with both institutions agreeing to expand collaboration in climate research, weather monitoring, and knowledge sharing.

The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof.

Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, who led the university’s management team to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike.

Prof. Fawehinmi said the visit, undertaken on behalf of the Governing Council of the University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University, under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, was aimed at advancing discussions on the Smart Climate Project and exploring other areas of mutual interest.

The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in joint research, deployment of remote sensors, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, weather stations, climate data utilisation, academic-industry linkages, and knowledge exchange.

Welcoming the delegation, Prof. Anosike congratulated Prof. Fawehinmi on his appointment as substantive Vice-Chancellor and described the University as NiMet’s closest academic partner.

He noted that more than 60 per cent of NiMet’s interns are drawn from the institution and recalled the agency’s previous support in establishing the university’s weather station.

The NiMet Director-General stressed the importance of maintaining weather stations supported by the agency to ensure they remain functional for teaching, research, and the delivery of climate services. He also pledged to establish a new weather station at the university.

Both institutions agreed on the need to make climate information more accessible, practical, and relevant to students, researchers, farmers, planners, and local communities through the Smart Climate Project.

To facilitate implementation, they constituted a joint technical team comprising representatives of NiMet and the University to identify collaboration priorities and coordinate the execution of agreed initiatives.