• NiMet canvasses innovative technologies to boost climate resilience
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has rallied stakeholders in the emergency and disaster management sector to strengthen the country’s early warning systems as the rainy and flood season approaches.

Its Director-General, Zubaida Umar, observed that timely, coordinated and evidence-based action in addressing climate-related risks remains critical to saving lives and property from disasters.

She made the submission at a Technical Meeting on the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and Presentation of the After Action Review (AAR) of the agency, themed ‘Strengthening Multisectoral Preparedness and Early Action for Climate Disasters in Nigeria’, yesterday, in Abuja.

Umar explained that the 2026 seasonal climate prediction released by NIMET provides stakeholders with a forward-looking perspective on expected rainfall patterns, temperature variations and other climate indicators.

The DG pointed out that the presentation of the after-action review is critical, as it provides an opportunity to reflect on past responses, identify systemic gaps, and ensure that the government’s approach going forward is informed by practical experience and lessons learned.

Presenting statistics on the review of the 2025 climate change research studies in Nigeria, Mr Dapo Akingbade of the Planning Research and Statistics unit of NEMA, revealed that the country recorded significant progress in flood disaster management in the year, as against the 2024 records.

Relatedly, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has called for the adoption of innovative technologies to strengthen climate resilience in Nigeria.

He made the call during the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Conference of the Nigerian Meteorological Society (NMetS), held alongside its 35th Annual General Meeting at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State.

He noted that its theme, “Advancing Meteorology: Harnessing AI, Satellites, and Big Data for Climate Resilience and Sustainability,” reflects the urgent need to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions that safeguard lives, livelihoods, and national development.

Anosike stressed that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present-day reality, manifesting in rising temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, flooding, droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather events that continue to impact ecosystems, economies, and societies, particularly across Africa.

Highlighting Nigeria’s growing climate challenges, the NiMet DG pointed to temperature extremes, shifting rainfall patterns, desertification in the northern regions, and coastal erosion in the south.