The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are enhancing their collaboration to improve early warning systems for climate-related disasters. During the World Meteorological Day commemoration in Abuja, Simon Katu, representing NEMA’s Director General, acknowledged challenges in making early warnings accessible and understandable at the community level. He emphasized the need for collective efforts among government agencies, meteorologists, emergency responders, development partners, and local communities to address these gaps. Katu highlighted the importance of investing in technology and capacity-building to bolster disaster risk reduction. 

Charles Anosike, NiMet’s Director General, noted that investing in early warning systems not only saves lives but also significantly strengthens national and local economies, citing a tenfold return on investment. He also addressed challenges such as inadequate funding, limited access to modern technology, poor coordination in information dissemination, insecurity, and infrastructure maintenance that hinder the effectiveness of early warning systems.

This strengthened collaboration aims to ensure that timely and accurate early warnings reach all communities, particularly those most vulnerable to climate-related hazards, thereby enhancing disaster preparedness and response across Nigeria. 

Source: Nature new