By Clara Dabo
In a decisive push for regional collaboration on climate resilience and food security, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Food and Nutrition Security Information System (FNSIS).
The declaration came during a high-level courtesy visit by a delegation from the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) to NiMet’s headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming the delegation, Professor Charles Anosike, Director General and CEO of NiMet, and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), underscored the Agency’s pivotal role in early warning systems and climate-informed agricultural planning.
“NiMet remains committed to delivering actionable weather and climate intelligence,” Prof. Anosike stated. “Through our collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, we have successfully downscaled seasonal climate forecasts to guide farmers and boost productivity across Nigeria’s agricultural belt.”
He emphasized the growing need for a coordinated, science-based approach to prepare for and respond to food and climate shocks and also introduced the National Framework for Early Warning and Early Action developed by NiMet under WMO guidance as a landmark initiative designed to enhance synergy among agencies focused on disaster risk reduction, food security, and climate adaptation.
“The framework is a tool to eliminate duplication, foster real-time data sharing, and strengthen our national response to climate-related emergencies,” he said, assuring that all relevant partners will have access to the initiative moving forward.
Leading the visiting delegation, Mr. Williams Massaoud of CILSS applauded NiMet’s contributions to climate services and called for deeper integration of meteorological data into the FNSIS platform.
He noted that the mission was part of the PRISISAN Project—the Project for Strengthening and Innovating Food and Nutrition Security Information Systems which seeks to bolster regional capacity for managing food crises in the Sahel and West Africa.
“This mission is not just symbolic it is strategic,” Mr. Massaoud noted. “It brings together key players, including the FAO, WFP, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Cadre Harmonisé Taskforce, and other development partners with a shared vision of a hunger-free, resilient region.”
He stressed that only through robust data systems, grounded in climate realities, can governments and development partners make timely and effective decisions to safeguard vulnerable populations.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Anosike made a resounding call for unified action: “Food security is not just a national priority; it’s a regional imperative.
We must build systems that are not only reactive but proactive data-driven, inclusive, and resilient.”
The visit marks a significant step toward deeper cooperation between meteorological services and food security stakeholders in the region aligning science, policy, and strategy to protect millions from the growing threat of climate-induced hunger.
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