NiMet Inaugurates AI Research Team, Predicts Three Days of Hazy Conditions Nationwide

By Iyojo Ameh

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has inaugurated an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Integration Team as part of efforts to strengthen innovation, digital transformation, and service delivery in weather and climate forecasting.

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof.

Charles Anosike, who inaugurated the team, said the initiative is aimed at complementing decades of physics-based forecasting with emerging AI-driven technologies in line with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.

According to him, the newly constituted team will be responsible for identifying opportunities, standards, and best practices for applying artificial intelligence in meteorology, as well as integrating AI-based tools into NiMet’s operational forecasting systems.

Prof. Anosike noted that the adoption of hybrid AI–traditional forecasting models is expected to improve the speed, accuracy, and accessibility of weather predictions across the country.

He stressed that building internal AI capacity is critical to sustaining NiMet’s leadership in technological innovation among government agencies, while ensuring that emerging technologies are responsibly deployed to support aviation safety, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and national development.

Members of the AI Research and Integration Team were drawn from various departments within the Agency, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to innovation. The inauguration marks another milestone in NiMet’s ongoing efforts to leverage digital technologies and research-driven solutions to deliver world-class meteorological services in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, NiMet has also predicted dust haze and cloudiness across the country from Sunday to Tuesday.
In its weather outlook released in Abuja, the Agency forecast moderate dust haze over the northern region throughout the period.

It also predicted thick dust haze over the central region, with moderate dust haze expected in the inland cities of the southern region.

NiMet advised people with asthmatic conditions and other respiratory issues to take necessary precautions, while motorists were urged to drive carefully, especially in areas experiencing reduced visibility.