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Marking A Year Of Climate Leadership At NiMet Under Professor Charles Anosike

Published

3 months ago

January 15, 2025

By Dr. Uche Nworah

Industry stakeholders viewed the appointment of Prof. Charles Anosike as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as a round peg in a round hole. This is because, before the appointment, he was serving as the Director of the Directorate of Applied Meteorological Services (DAMS), one of the key directorates and engine rooms in the agency.

Asked what he would like to be remembered by when he completes his tenure, Prof. Anosike said; “I need to ensure that I create value in NiMet. Value comes in different forms. The use of meteorological data to improve our livelihood, improve the accuracy of our predictions, and ensure efficient and effective dissemination of climate information. When people get timely weather information, understand and can use it effectively to improve planning and make climate-smart decisions as a result, that creates sustainable value. Staff welfare is fundamental. In the end, NiMet meteorologists and other staff will be able to say that this DG/CEO brought this idea and in that period we were vibrant and were better off. These and more are what I want to be remembered for”.

Also asked what the issues that need to be addressed at NiMet are, Professor Anosike said that he likes to focus on opportunities, not challenges. “I think that one of the lowest hanging fruit for me is to reach out to the private sector for their support and for their participation in what we do so that they can begin to see the value in what NiMet does”. Professor Anosike has done very well in this regard.

In line with the performance bond signed with Chief Executive Officers and Directors of parastatals by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Professor Anosike, and the management team have done so much to operationalize the 5-point agenda of the Ministry under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo SAN.

In 2024, NiMet undertook rigorous metadata exercises to thoroughly evaluate the functionality and effectiveness of its weather observation stations. The Metadata exercise was a success; all the stations in Nigeria have been updated.

For the first time in the agency’s history, Prof. Anosike was able to attract the partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) during the unveiling ceremony of the 2024 NiMet Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP). Also, NiMet under Professor Anosike is attracting a lot of attention from both local and international partners, government ministries, agencies, and departments, many of which the agency has signed service delivery MOUs in different areas including the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), on Thursday, 12th December 2024 hosted the 2nd roundtable meeting on ‘Anticipatory Action Framework For Nigeria’, aimed at developing a unified approach and framework for anticipatory action in Nigeria. The Roundtable meeting which would be expanded was convened by the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

NiMet and the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa – MOWCA, have agreed on joint action to promote maritime weather observation, early warnings, and capacity building (focusing on Marine Meteorology) for MOWCA member states.

Hitherto, NiMet staff had long complained of a lack of training opportunities. In the last year, all cadres of staff have benefited from the renewed drive by management to prioritize human capacity development in the agency.

NiMet organized a week-long training for its State Meteorological Managers (SMMs). The agency also organized a training session on the ‘Balanced Scorecard Performance Management System’ for the Directors and senior management staff of the agency. The board of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has granted the National Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology (NMIST), an institution belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), recognition to operate as a mono-technic institution. The Board also granted the institution approval to commence National Diploma (Meteorology), and National Diploma (Climate Change Sciences) programmes at its Oshodi, Lagos, location.

Industrial harmony has returned to NiMet as the unions now have confidence in the management and trust its labour-friendly policies. Through constructive stakeholder engagement which has become the hallmark of Prof. Anosike’s people-friendly leadership style at NiMet, a planned industrial action scheduled to begin on Monday, 20th May 2024 over the non-payment of outstanding 45-month minimum wage arrears dating back to 2019 owed to staff of the agency by the federal government was averted The payment has now been made.

NiMet under Professor Anosike has witnessed the introduction of technological innovations in its operations. Computer hardware and software and other meteorological equipment are being bought newly or repaired to enable staff to carry out their functions effectively.
The ICT unit has successfully restored NiMet Data Centre to near-optimal performance and has also successfully carried out the integration and completion of Climsoft, a climate management system. The agency has also launched a brand new interactive website with many features. Its social media pages are now very active and are regularly updated with current weather and climate information filled with creative weather graphics and animations.

A brand new digital weather studio with improved graphics and animation capabilities that compare with what is obtainable abroad has been launched. Combined with the newly introduced NiMet-branded jackets and clothing for weather presenters, Nigerians, and other publics are in for a whole new weather viewing experience.

Professor Anosike and his team have revamped the agency’s flagship annual event – The Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), the annual event where the agency releases weather and climate predictions for the year. With renewed partnerships and support, NiMet will be able to do more in the area of downscaling the SCP to communities nationwide. This is an agenda Professor Anosike is very passionate about.

Aviation safety has also been prioritized under Prof. Anosike at NiMet. Through the Quality Management System Unit in the office of the DG/CEO, a lot has been achieved by way of training, re-training, and certifications.

Under Prof. Anosike, the data archive center has been renovated and equipped as part of management’s data rescue project. The Management has reactivated the moribund carpentry workshop at the Agency’s Regional Training Center (RTC), in Oshodi, Lagos. The workshop produces furniture and woodwork for the Agency’s use. It also accepts orders from external clients for customized carpentry and furniture works.

The outlook for NiMet in the coming years is positive. Professor Anosike has reiterated his focus and that of management in the coming years. “There will be considerable focus on improving NiMet’s monitoring and observation infrastructure and better information sharing. We will Improve our weather modeling and early warning using artificial intelligence and big data analysis to improve the accuracy and timeliness of early warnings. Also, we plan to strengthen our Public Private Partnerships Engagements”, Professor Anosike said.

For these and several other achievements so far recorded as the DG/CEO of NiMet since the assumption of duty, it is deserving to say kudos to Professor Anosike. As he continues to navigate the affairs at NiMet as DG/CEO, the expectation is that the management, staff of NiMet, and relevant stakeholders will continue to support the agency so that the agency will continue to achieve its mandate of observing, analyzing, timely and accurate reporting of weather and climate information for socio-economic development and safety of lives and property.

Nworah, a climate change enthusiast wrote from Abuja.

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NITDA, SECDOJO, SIGN MOU TO STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S CYBER RESILIENCE

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2025

august24admin

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

In its continued effort toward the implementation of the present administration’s agenda of strengthening national security by committing to robust cybersecurity measures and digital trust to safeguard the nation’s digital infrastructure as well as contribute to the overall peace and prosperity of the nation, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SecDojo, SAS, a Cybersecurity training and upskilling company with headquarters in France, to strengthen national resilience against cyber threats through targeted capacity building initiatives.

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, and Chief Executive Officer of SecDojo, Mr. Younes Benzagmout at the signing ceremony, which took place during GITEX Africa 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco.

August24news.com Editor gathered that the signing ceremony took place during GITEX Africa 2025 event in Marrakech, Morocco, with the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, and Chief Executive Officer of SecDojo, Mr. Younes Benzagmout, representing both organisations.

This strategic partnership is designed to bolster Nigeria’s cybersecurity landscape through comprehensive capacity-building initiatives.

The collaboration will focus on the establishment of a Cybersecurity Academy, delivery of advanced training and simulation programmes, development of customised curricula and educational resources, and facilitation of research, knowledge sharing, and professional exchange programmes.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Inuwa expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, describing it as a key milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward a secure digital future.“We just signed an MOU with SecDojo, which is a cybersecurity capacity-building provider, and this is one of our efforts to strengthen our national cybersecurity to enhance our cyber resilience,” he noted.

He asserted that as Nigeria continues its digital transformation journey, investing in human capital is paramount, describing people as the technology component of any innovation ecosystem.

inuwa also noted the growing global demand for cybersecurity professionals and emphasised Nigeria’s potential to fill the talent gap, given its large and youthful population.“Globally, we have the gap, and in Nigeria, we have a young population that if we harness, well, we can train them and connect them with the global value chain to provide cybersecurity services and also to fill some roles and gaps in the global cybersecurity market,” he averred.

While pushing for digital skills integration into Nigeria’s formal education system, the DG called for deeper collaboration between technology stakeholders and the Federal Ministry of Education to embed digital literacy and cybersecurity training into Nigeria’s formal education system.

He stated that, there is an urgent need to shift from short-term skills acceleration programmes to long-term, systemic integration of digital skills into academic curricula at all levels, from primary to tertiary education.

“For me, this goes beyond NITDA. I see a national opportunity, one that involves the Ministry of Education, to institutionalise digital literacy through formal education,” he said. “Currently, what NITDA offers are skills acceleration programmes because these critical digital competencies are not taught in schools.

But to prepare for the future, we must embed these skills into our national education framework,” he added.

Highlighting successful models such as Cisco’s academic integration, which allows students in over 100 Nigerian universities to earn both degrees and professional certifications simultaneously, he stressed the benefits of a dual-track learning system that equips graduates for immediate relevance in the digital economy.

He noted that while Cisco has led the way, the ecosystem must be open to multiple partners, especially those aligned with Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, and encouraged tech firms and content providers to collaborate, offering open-source or customized content that can be adopted nationally.

“We don’t want to limit this to a single vendor. The opportunity is open to all.

Google has shown interest, and we welcome more partners. There are committees already working with the Ministry, and we’d love to see more stakeholders at the table,” he concluded.

In his remark, Mr Benzagmout, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working closely with Nigerian stakeholders.

He noted that the collaboration aims to bring SecDojo’s innovative training platforms and methodologies to support Nigeria’s cybersecurity professionals while contributing to the development and execution of a comprehensive national cyber capacity-building strategy.

“We sincerely thank NITDA for their trust and partnership and we are excited to begin this journey and look forward to building a successful and impactful collaboration,” he assured.

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Transcorp Hilton Announces Great Offerings For Coming Easter Holidays

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2025

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

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Technology, Neutral Tool for Socio-Economic Development-DG NITDA

Published

2 weeks ago

April 7, 2025

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Technology, Neutral Tool for Socio-Economic Development-DG NITDA

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has emphasised the significance of perceiving technology as a neutral instrument that can accelerate Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.

Speaking during a virtual panel session titled “Culture and Innovation: The Changing Landscape and Technoculture,” Inuwa outlined the importance of leveraging technology to balance cultural preservation with economic growth.

The event, organised by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy in partnership with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and UNESCO, provided a platform for stakeholders to explore the dynamic role of technology in shaping cultural and economic transformations.

Inuwa who was represented by the Acting Director, Regulation and Compliance, Barrister Emmanuel Edet, stressed that technology is inherently neutral—it is neither beneficial nor harmful in isolation but depends on the intent and strategy behind its usage.

He advocated for implementing robust policies and fostering collaborations to ensure technological innovations align with Nigeria’s cultural heritage and developmental goals.

As global cultures and economies are increasingly influenced by digital innovation, Inuwa pointed to creative tools such as Figma, Canva, and CorelDRAW, which incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance user experiences.

He underlined the need to equip Nigerians with digital skills to utilise these tools effectively for economic progress.

He said, “To this end, NITDA has established digital learning centers nationwide, providing education in Emerging Technologies.

The National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) is also playing a pivotal role by offering training programs and creating tech hubs aimed at improving productivity and skill acquisition.”

Additionally, Inuwa unveiled Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a framework designed to position the nation as a frontrunner in AI adoption.

This strategy focuses on intellectual property rights and prioritises efficiency and transformation across critical sectors, especially through its emphasis on social inclusion and development.

According to him, NITDA’s commitment to digital security and intellectual property protection has also resulted in the launch of a National Blockchain Policy.

This initiative supports creative industries by enabling artists, musicians, and filmmakers to tokenise their works, ensuring proof of ownership and curbing copyright violations.

“Technology is a tool—it all depends on how we use it,” Inuwa remarked. “Our objective is to create an environment that allows technology to contribute to Nigeria’s economic and creative development.”

In his remarks, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy Mr. Ibrahim Suleiman described the event as a timely opportunity for stakeholders to chart a course for Nigeria’s future progress.

With participation from government officials, industry experts, and thought leaders, the discussions centered on tackling challenges and identifying opportunities within the arts, culture, and creative economy sectors.

Among the key sub-themes that formed basis for the discussion included leveraging technological advancements, fostering innovation, and formulating policies to boost Nigeria’s global competitiveness.

As technology continues to redefine the creative landscape, the summit underscored the role of digital tools, Artificial intelligence, and Blockchain in preserving cultural heritage, driving economic empowerment, and creating jobs.

It is anticipated that actionable outcomes from this event will help shape the future of Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries, solidifying their role as essential contributors to national development.