By Gabriel Ameh
Abuja, Nigeria — The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have agreed to strengthen collaboration on disaster preparedness and climate risk management through the development of a national Early Warning System Roadmap.
The agreement was reached during a courtesy visit by the Director General/CEO of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, to the Director General/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, at the NiMet headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking during the meeting, Mrs. Umar commended NiMet for the early release of the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), the consistency of its daily weather forecasts, and the progress recorded under the leadership of Prof. Anosike.
She explained that the visit, alongside members of the NEMA management team, was aimed at reinforcing the long-standing partnership between both agencies to improve disaster preparedness and emergency response across the country.
Mrs. Umar also stressed the need to integrate NiMet into the NEMA Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to ensure faster coordination and improved response to climate-related emergencies.
In his remarks, the Director General/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, appreciated NEMA for recognising the agency’s contributions to national development.
He noted that NiMet, NEMA, and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) remain strategic partners committed to tackling climate-related disasters and strengthening resilience in Nigeria.
Prof. Anosike further called for the development of a comprehensive Nigerian Early Warning System Roadmap to improve inter-agency collaboration, coordination, and trust among critical stakeholders.
At the end of the meeting, both agencies agreed to immediately establish a joint committee that will develop and implement the roadmap, with the goal of improving disaster preparedness and response through coordinated action and timely implementation.
