…NiMet DG/CEO Anosike, others Participate in the conference
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, and a high-level Nigerian delegation are currently attending the Aeronautical Meteorology Scientific Conference (AeroMetSci-2024), taking place at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The conference, organized by the Commission for Weather, Climate, Hydrological, Marine, and Related Environmental Services and Applications (SERCOM), runs from October 21 to 25, 2024.
The event has brought together experts from across the aviation, meteorological, academic, and research communities, alongside representatives from the WMO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). With the theme, “Aviation, Weather, and Climate: Scientific Research and Development for Enhanced Aeronautical Meteorological Services in a Changing Climate”, the conference aims to showcase scientific advancements in meteorological services and explore the impact of climate change on aviation.
Key members of the Nigerian delegation include Professor Charles Anosike, Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative with the WMO, Ambassador Abiodun Richards Adejola, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, and Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The Nigerian team is using the conference to deepen their understanding of cutting-edge meteorological science and its application to aviation. This is especially important for NiMet, whose mandate involves providing critical weather services to enhance aviation safety in Nigeria.
During a sideline meeting with WMO Secretary-General Professor Celeste Saulo, Minister Keyamo emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its meteorological services, particularly in the areas of technical assistance and capacity building.
He acknowledged the pivotal role meteorology plays in aviation safety and nation-building, urging the WMO to enhance its support for Nigeria through increased training opportunities, fellowship programs for NiMet staff, and early warning capacity-building initiatives.
Keyamo also called for a greater WMO presence in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of the WMO Sub-regional Office located in Abuja. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its statutory obligations to both the regional office and the WMO headquarters, while also seeking WMO’s assistance in developing a national roadmap for early warning systems under the global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.
Anosike further advocated for Nigeria to be recognized as a Regional Centre for the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) and a Centre of Excellence for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). He expressed Nigeria’s readiness to assist other nations within the region by sharing its expertise in meteorology, particularly in the area of extreme weather forecasting.
In response, WMO Secretary-General Saulo commended Nigeria’s leadership in regional meteorological development and its contributions to building capacity for other member states.
She stressed the importance of ongoing government support for NiMet and pledged WMO’s continued backing for Nigeria’s efforts to improve meteorological services and enhance early warning systems in the face of growing climate challenges.
The AeroMetSci-2024 conference continues throughout the week, focusing on integrating meteorological information into global air traffic management and exploring how climate change is affecting the aviation industry worldwide.
