The Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Permanent Representative of Nigeria with WMO, Professor Charles Anosike, on Monday, advocated Climate-Smart Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Anosike made the advocacy in his opening remarks at the Best Practice Workshop on Public-Private Partnership for Climate Information Services & Validation of the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience (CSAPR) Programme, organised by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Abuja.

Commending IFAD and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for convening the workshop, Prof. Anosike emphasised:
“Climate Smart PPP is critical in this era of Climate Change to enable integration of climate-related risks into agro infrastructure development. This can be achieved by embedding climate data and adaptation, mitigation measures into project design to ensure long-term stability.”

He expressed his gratitude to IFAD’s country director, Mrs Dede Ekoue, for the commitment and efforts in sustaining NiMet’s long-standing collaboration with IFAD through projects such as LIFE-ND, VCDP, and SAPZ.

Anosike drew attention to NiMet’s feats in Climate Services, the recent launch of Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) Maproom, a powerful tool designed to accelerate access to climate information in Nigeria, especially for those involved in agribusiness.

He said: “The Maproom provides real-time weather forecasts, historical climate data and tailored advisories to support farmers in making informed decisions about planting and harvesting, thereby promoting resilience and productivity. I encourage you all to explore the NiMet Maproom by visiting the NiMet website and share your valuable feedback.”

Underscoring the workshop’s objective, he added: “In line with the objective of this workshop today – to build a common understanding of best practices for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Climate Information Services (CIS)- NiMet is actively engaging with private sector practitioners across the CIS value Chain to establish sustainable Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) for Small-holder farmers in Nigeria.

“These efforts are designed to deliver timely and accurate climate information, enabling smallholder farmers to make informed decisions that improve crop yields, protect their livelihoods, and strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change.”

Mrs. Dede Ekoue, IFAD Country Director, during her remarks, applauded the exemplary leadership of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

“NiMet’s work in generating and disseminating climate data and forecasts, NiMet has been at the forefront of safeguarding livelihoods and strengthening national resilience. The Agency’s role in forging stronger linkages between science, policy, and practice is indispensable.

“Going forward, deeper partnerships with the private sector and development actors will be critical in ensuring that climate information is not only generated but also translated into accessible, affordable, and actionable services for millions of smallholder farmers”, she said.