- New collaboration targets smarter weather forecasting, early warning systems and evidence-based agricultural planning
Nigeria is taking another strategic step towards integrating artificial intelligence into climate governance and agricultural planning, following a new partnership between the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and AKADEMIYA2063 aimed at strengthening climate resilience, food security and sustainable development.
The two institutions formalised the collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), setting the stage for the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI), advanced climate analytics and evidence-based research to improve weather forecasting, climate services and decision-making across critical sectors.
The agreement, signed in Abuja on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, reflects growing recognition that digital technologies and data-driven solutions are becoming indispensable in addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change, particularly for agriculture, disaster preparedness and national development.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the partnership as part of the agency’s broader strategy to modernise Nigeria’s meteorological services through innovation and emerging technologies.
According to him, NiMet has already established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Research Team to explore how machine learning and AI can improve weather forecasting accuracy, climate prediction, operational efficiency and the delivery of climate services to end-users.
He noted that the collaboration with AKADEMIYA2063 would bring additional technical expertise and research capacity to accelerate the agency’s ongoing digital transformation while enhancing the value of climate information for governments, farmers, businesses and vulnerable communities.
For AKADEMIYA2063, the partnership represents an important milestone in expanding Africa’s capacity for data-driven policymaking and climate resilience.
Managing Director of the organisation, Dr. Debisi Araba, said the collaboration would combine the institution’s strengths in data intelligence, analytics and policy research with NiMet’s scientific expertise in meteorology to develop practical solutions capable of addressing climate-related challenges affecting agriculture, food systems and sustainable development.
He stressed that improved access to high-quality climate intelligence would support governments and development institutions in making more informed policy decisions while helping farmers adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, both organisations will jointly develop and deploy AI-powered solutions for climate monitoring, seasonal forecasting, early warning systems and evidence-based planning.
The partnership will also focus on improving access to reliable weather and climate information, strengthening climate services for agriculture and enhancing the use of predictive analytics in supporting food security and climate adaptation initiatives.
To ensure effective implementation, the partners will establish a Joint Technical Committee that will work alongside NiMet’s AI Research Team to coordinate activities, identify priority areas for collaboration and drive joint research, innovation and capacity-building programmes.
The initiative comes at a time when climate variability continues to place increasing pressure on Nigeria’s agricultural sector, making timely weather intelligence and accurate early warning systems more critical than ever for farmers, policymakers, emergency managers and investors.
As climate risks become more frequent and complex, experts increasingly agree that artificial intelligence offers significant opportunities to transform how meteorological data is analysed, interpreted and communicated, enabling faster, more accurate and actionable climate services.
By bringing together NiMet’s meteorological expertise and AKADEMIYA2063’s strengths in data science and policy analytics, the partnership is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to convert climate and weather information into practical solutions that support agricultural productivity, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience and sustainable national development.
