Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), led by its Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Charles Anosike, Wednesday in Abuja, signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to improve the country’s economic decision-making.
Speaking at the event, Anosike highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
Anosike, while citing the World Bank (2026), which reports that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa, added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritizes food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
He also referenced the Berkeley Earth Report (2026), which projects that: “2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research and policy support.
He emphasised that in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
He further noted that the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, stating that: “Such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment and broader economic policy advisory functions.”
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Prof. Anosike and Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
