On March 18, 2025, NiMet’s Prof. Charles Anosike attended an AATF meeting to shift Nigeria’s flood response to proactive measures. The meeting, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, aimed to enhance flood preparedness, aligning with global frameworks that emphasize proactive disaster management. Anosike highlighted the importance of NiMet’s forecasting and outlined the need for improved weather models and technologies.
On March 18, 2025, Professor Charles Anosike, the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), participated in a meeting of the Anticipatory Action Task Force on Floods (AATF). The meeting, hosted by Vice President Kashim Shettima, aimed to transition Nigeria’s flood response from reactive to proactive measures, focusing on preparedness rather than post-disaster relief.
The AATF is aligned with international standards, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. These frameworks emphasize the importance of proactive strategies to lessen the impact of natural disasters and to protect vulnerable communities effectively.
During the discussions, AATF members briefed the vice president on their agencies’ preparations and activities designed to mitigate the effects of flooding in Nigeria. Shettima expressed his concerns regarding the rising human and economic consequences of floods, underscoring the need for immediate action prior to disaster occurrences. He advocated for the use of science, technology, and collaborative efforts to protect lives and livelihoods.
Professor Anosike praised the vice president for his leadership in promoting anticipatory actions to enhance disaster preparedness. He pointed out the importance of NiMet’s impact-based forecasting, which provides essential early warnings to enable timely interventions before extreme weather events. Anosike explained that the integration of NiMet’s forecasts with existing early warning systems could vastly improve risk awareness and response capabilities.
Furthermore, he outlined several key areas for enhancing NiMet’s forecasting proficiency. These include the enhancement of weather models, investment in forecasting systems, expansion of observation station networks, improvement of in-situ data collection, and the application of machine learning techniques to refine weather predictions.
The meeting convened by Vice President Kashim Shettima marked a significant step towards enhancing Nigeria’s flood preparedness. By shifting from reactive disaster responses to proactive measures, stakeholders, including NiMet, aim to minimize the adverse effects of flooding. Through improved forecasting capabilities and collaborative efforts, the initiatives discussed promise to better safeguard vulnerable communities against climate-induced disasters.
Original Source: sciencenigeria.com
