NiMet DG Joins WMO Dialogue on Climate Finance, Early Warning Systems

The Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has participated in a high-level World Meteorological Organization (WMO) dialogue on climate science, finance and early warning systems in Beijing, China.

The five-day meeting, held from September 14 to 18, 2026, brought together senior officials to examine how climate science can better support access to climate finance and strengthen national meteorological services.

The discussions focused on helping National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) play a stronger role in mobilising climate finance for climate adaptation and resilience.

Participants also examined ways to connect scientific and technical capacity with people-centred early warning systems that can better protect communities from climate-related hazards.

Another key issue was the need to move beyond short-term technical assistance towards sustainable investment. The WMO dialogue explored stronger cooperation between meteorological institutions and multilateral financing organisations to achieve that goal.

The meeting also placed emphasis on leadership development within national meteorological services. Officials discussed how stronger strategic planning and partnerships could help these institutions secure resources and deliver more effective climate services.

Held alongside the dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE), which took participants to Fujian Province for practical exposure to China’s approach to weather and disaster warnings.

The field exchange featured the Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform, an artificial intelligence-driven meteorological early warning system.

The platform supports the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, which seeks to expand access to timely and effective warnings for people exposed to hazardous weather and other climate-related risks.

Participants also undertook technical exchanges and field visits, allowing officials to examine China’s disaster risk reduction practices and share experiences on strengthening early warning systems.

NiMet’s participation in the WMO engagements provided an opportunity for Nigeria to exchange knowledge on climate services, early warning technology and strategies for mobilising investment in meteorological infrastructure.

The discussions also highlighted the growing importance of linking climate information with financing decisions, particularly as countries face increasing risks from extreme weather and climate-related disasters.

The WMO said stronger partnerships, strategic leadership and sustainable investment would be critical to improving the capacity of national meteorological services to provide climate information and early warnings.