NiMet, China partner to strengthen AI-powered weather early warning in Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) have agreed to deepen cooperation on artificial intelligence-powered early warning systems, satellite applications and institutional development to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to forecast and respond to weather-related hazards.

According to a statement by the agency, the agreement followed a strategic engagement between the two institutions on the sidelines of the 2026 Alliance for Hydromet Development Annual Meeting, where both parties identified priority areas for collaboration, including the joint development of China’s MAZU operational platform for Nigeria.

The partnership is expected to strengthen the delivery of timely meteorological information, improve hazard monitoring and support early warning services for communities vulnerable to extreme weather events.

Speaking at the engagement, Song Shanyun, deputy administrator of CMA, commended Nigeria for hosting the annual meeting and praised NiMet for its leadership in advancing meteorological development.

Shanyun said the Chinese administration was ready to support efforts to strengthen meteorological services in Nigeria and other countries, highlighting the importance of cooperation between both nations in improving weather observation and forecasting capabilities.

He outlined three priority areas for collaboration: the joint development of the MAZU operational platform for Nigeria, expanded use of Fengyun satellite technology to improve meteorological observation, and enhanced capacity-building and institutional development.

The MAZU platform is intended to support urban multi-hazard early warning, while the expanded application of Fengyun satellite technology is expected to improve access to meteorological observation data for forecasting and hazard monitoring.

Responding, Charles Anosike, director-general and chief executive officer of NiMet, thanked CMA and the Chinese government for sending a six-member delegation to the annual meeting, describing the participation as a demonstration of their commitment to global meteorological development.

Anosike called for both institutions to formalise their collaboration through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), stressing that the agreement should be guided by Nigeria’s social and economic needs as well as its practical meteorological requirements.

The proposed framework would provide a basis for coordinating joint projects and aligning technical cooperation with Nigeria’s weather forecasting and early warning priorities.

At the end of the engagement, CMA presented NiMet with two tablet devices equipped with the MAZU artificial intelligence agent for urban multi-hazard early warning.

The devices are expected to serve as dedicated intelligent terminals for delivering meteorological early warning information.

Both institutions also agreed to establish a regular communication mechanism to coordinate joint development activities and sustain progress on the proposed areas of cooperation.

The engagement comes amid growing efforts by meteorological agencies to improve early warning systems and strengthen preparedness for weather-related hazards through technological innovation, improved observation systems and international cooperation.