NiMet, NASRDA Deepen Partnership to Develop Nigeria’s First Meteorological Satellite, Boost Earth Observation

By Iyojo Ameh

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have agreed to deepen collaboration on earth observation, including plans to develop a meteorological satellite, as part of efforts to strengthen weather forecasting, climate services and sustainable national development.

The commitment was made on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Director General and Chief Executive of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, to the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike.

The two agencies said the renewed partnership would leverage their complementary mandates to improve the collection and use of earth system observation data for national socio-economic development.

Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with NASRDA, noting that accurate meteorological observations remain critical to safeguarding lives and property, supporting climate-smart decision-making, enhancing community resilience, and improving anticipatory responses to weather and climate-related hazards.

He also highlighted NiMet’s ongoing investment in emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve weather forecasting and service delivery.

In his remarks, Dr. Adepoju proposed closer collaboration with NiMet on the development of a meteorological satellite, a move he said would position Nigeria as a continental leader in space-based weather observation.

He also identified other areas of collaboration, including meteorological support for the operationalisation of hot-air balloons, as well as joint capacity building through knowledge exchange and specialised training programmes.

Both chief executives stressed the importance of greater private sector participation in advancing Nigeria’s earth observation systems to enhance innovation and investment in the sector.

To strengthen institutional cooperation, the agencies agreed to review and update their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the aim of making it more forward-looking, actionable, and capable of delivering measurable contributions to sustainable socio-economic development.

The renewed partnership is expected to enhance Nigeria’s weather and climate monitoring capabilities while supporting evidence-based planning across key sectors such as agriculture, aviation, disaster risk management, water resources and environmental sustainability.