NiMet Partners AIM for Scale to Deliver AI-Driven Weather Forecasts to Nigerian Farmers
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) aimed at transforming the delivery of climate and weather information to farmers across Nigeria through the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered forecasting systems.
The collaboration, formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to enhance the accessibility, accuracy, and practical application of weather and climate data for agricultural stakeholders.
At its core, the initiative seeks to integrate advanced AI-based forecasting tools with digital advisory platforms, ensuring that farmers receive timely and actionable information to guide critical farming decisions.
Under the agreement, NiMet and AIM for Scale – an initiative backed by the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and the Gates Foundation – will deploy AI-driven technologies to generate tailored weather insights that directly address the needs of farmers.
These insights will be translated into practical guidance, enabling farmers to optimise planting schedules, improve input management, and mitigate the adverse effects of extreme weather conditions.
The partnership builds on NiMet’s established role as a key provider of climate services in Nigeria, including early warning advisories, seasonal climate predictions, and digital climate information systems.
By incorporating AI into its forecasting framework, the agency aims to strengthen institutional capacity while expanding the reach and effectiveness of its advisory services, ensuring that more farmers benefit from reliable and timely information.
Nigeria’s participation in the AI Weather Forecasting Training Programme further underscores its commitment to innovation in climate services.
The country was among the first cohort selected for the programme, which was launched in September 2025 through a collaboration involving AIM for Scale, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), and the University of Chicago in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative is tailored to equip countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America with the technical capacity to independently generate and disseminate localised weather forecasts.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, emphasised its potential to enhance agricultural productivity and national resilience.
He noted that improved access to accurate rainfall forecasts and climate data would empower farmers to better plan planting and harvesting cycles, thereby reducing vulnerability to unpredictable weather patterns.
“Providing accurate and timely weather and climate information is essential for national development, food security, and disaster risk management,” he stated, highlighting the broader socio-economic importance of the initiative.
Also speaking at the MoU signing ceremony held in Abuja, the Director of AIM for Scale, Imara Salas, underscored the transformative potential of AI-powered forecasting in agriculture.
She explained that the integration of digital advisory systems could significantly improve crop yields, enhance resource efficiency, and strengthen the resilience of millions of smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
The NiMet–AIM for Scale partnership represents a major step forward in leveraging technology to address climate-related challenges in agriculture.
By combining institutional expertise with cutting-edge AI tools, the collaboration is expected to drive innovation in weather forecasting and deliver tangible benefits to farmers, ultimately contributing to improved livelihoods and sustainable agricultural development nationwide.
