NiMet, NEMA, NCC, Others Strengthen Collaboration on Early Warning Systems
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has convened an inter-agency meeting to strengthen preparations for the official launch of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Initiative in Nigeria.
The meeting, held on Friday, 21 August 2026, brought together key government institutions and development partners involved in disaster risk reduction, meteorology, hydrology, telecommunications, space technology and climate resilience.
The meeting was chaired by the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, and attended by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar.
The Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, participated virtually.
Other institutions represented at the meeting included the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA), led by its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed; the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), represented by its Director-General, Dr Matthew Adepoju; and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
The meeting formed part of efforts to ensure that Nigeria is adequately prepared for the national launch of the EW4All Initiative and that the various agencies involved have a coordinated framework for implementation.
During the meeting, the Local Organising Committee presented a progress report on preparations for the national launch. The report highlighted key engagements undertaken by participating institutions, milestones recorded so far and priority actions that still require attention ahead of the official launch.
A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the Nigeria EW4All Implementation Roadmap 2026–2029 by the Inter-Agency Technical Committee.
The roadmap provides a framework for coordinated implementation of the initiative over the four-year period, identifying priority actions and areas where participating agencies are expected to work together to strengthen early warning systems across the country.
The initiative is designed to advance people-centred and multi-hazard early warning systems capable of providing timely and accessible information to communities exposed to hazards.
Such systems are particularly important in a country facing a range of weather-, climate- and disaster-related risks, including flooding, extreme rainfall, drought and other hazards that can threaten lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
The involvement of agencies responsible for meteorological forecasting, hydrological monitoring, emergency management, telecommunications and space technology is expected to improve the collection, processing and dissemination of early warning information.
The meeting also underscored the importance of ensuring that warnings do not stop at the production of forecasts but reach vulnerable populations in forms and through channels that enable them to take appropriate action.
The participation of the NCC, for instance, highlights the importance of communications infrastructure in disseminating warnings rapidly to people across different parts of the country, while the involvement of NEMA is central to preparedness, response and disaster risk reduction.
NiHSA’s role is also significant given the need for hydrological information in monitoring and forecasting flood risks, while NASRDA’s space-related capabilities can support environmental monitoring and the generation of information relevant to disaster preparedness.
According to NiMet, the discussions further strengthened inter-agency coordination and reaffirmed the commitment of the participating institutions to advancing effective early warning systems in Nigeria.
The agencies also reiterated the need for a coordinated approach to disaster preparedness and climate resilience, with emphasis on systems that place people and communities at the centre.
The EW4All initiative is part of broader global efforts to ensure that everyone is protected by early warning systems, particularly as climate change increases the frequency and severity of some weather and climate-related hazards.
For Nigeria, effective implementation of the initiative is expected to enhance the country’s capacity to anticipate hazards, communicate risks and support timely action before disasters occur.
The Nigeria EW4All Implementation Roadmap 2026–2029 is therefore expected to serve as an important guide for translating the country’s early warning ambitions into coordinated actions by government institutions and development partners.
With the national launch approaching, the inter-agency meeting provided an opportunity for the participating organisations to review progress, identify outstanding priorities and reinforce their collective responsibility for building a more resilient Nigeria.
NiMet said continued collaboration among the agencies would remain critical to ensuring that early warning information becomes more accessible, timely and actionable for communities across the country.
