The Director General, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Nigeria’s permanent representative with WMO, Professor Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, 24th April, 2024, played host to the Director General of
AGRHYMET, Dr. Hamadoun Mahalmoudou in his office in Abuja.

AGRHYMET is a specialized institution of the Permanent Interstates Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), bringing together thirteen countries which are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Togo.

Dr. Mahalmoudou and his entourage are in Nigeria to participate in the ongoing Regional Forum Workshop on Seasonal Forecasts of Agro-hydro-climatic characteristics of the rainy season for the Sudanian and Sahelian zones of West Africa and the Sahel (PRESASS), holding in Abuja.

Several issues were discussed during the courtesy visit. Both agencies (NiMet and AGRHYMET) agreed to strengthen their capacity building collaboration in the areas of crop modelling, deployment of climsoft
(a climate database management tool), dry spell and drought forecasting.

The agencies also discussed strengthening bilateral relations pending when Nigeria becomes a member of AGRHYMET. AGHRYMET will work with NiMet to explore opportunities and access to grants for thematic areas in research, as well as on the job training and secondment for NiMet staff. AGHRYMET’s sectoral linkages will also be of interest to NiMet.

Professor Vincent Weli, NiMet’s Director of Weather Forecasting Services (WFS), Mr Zakari Haruna, Mr Oluwaseun Idowu, both Technical Assistants to NiMet DG/CEO, and Mr James Ijampy, Chief Meteorologist at NiMet were also present during the visit.