The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has inaugurated an Artificial Intelligence Research and Integration Team to improve weather and climate forecasting in the country.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Charles Anosike, disclosed this in a statement issued by the agency on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the move is part of efforts to support innovation, digital transformation, and better service delivery in line with the Federal Government’s agenda.
“The inauguration underscores NiMet’s commitment to complement decades of physics-based forecasting with emerging AI-driven approaches,” the statement said.
NiMet explained that the new team will focus on developing strategies for the use of artificial intelligence and guiding how AI tools are adopted in its forecasting systems.
The agency said the team will help identify best practices and standards for using artificial intelligence in meteorology, while also driving the integration of AI tools into daily weather forecasting operations.
It added that the initiative is expected to improve the speed, accuracy, and accessibility of weather forecasts by combining artificial intelligence with traditional forecasting methods.
Anosike said building internal digital and AI capacity is important for NiMet’s future and its role in national development.
He noted that strong AI skills within the agency would help maintain leadership in technology and ensure responsible use of innovation in sectors such as aviation, agriculture, and disaster management.
NiMet also revealed that members of the team were selected from different units within the agency to bring together a wide range of skills and experience.
The agency described the inauguration as another step towards delivering world-class meteorological services in Nigeria through research and digital technology.
