NiMet secures ISO recertification, aims for excellent aeronautical met service delivery
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has acquired the recertification of the International Standard Organization ISO 9001:2015 and the International Standard Organization ISO 29990:2010 for the provision of aeronautical meteorological services and capacity building at its Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Lagos and MBMIST in Katsina respectively.
The Director-General /CEO of NIMet, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu disclosed earlier today in his office that the agency was recertified following a detailed and rigorous quality management audit.
Matazu explained that the 3-year certification is for aeronautical meteorological services in only six major airports, but the agency is seeking to extend it to ten more airports in the country.
“We took the challenge as far back as 2013 and we have been maintaining this 3 year certificate and we just acquired recertification of ISO 9001:2015 for aeronautical meteorological services in the six major international airports in the country. We are working hard to extend it to 10 more airports across the country,” he said.
On recertification for capacity training, the DG said “We have also acquired another recertification for ISO 29990:2010 for training. Remember NiMet runs two training institutes like polytechnics, one in Lagos the RTC, which is a World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) accredited training centre.
“We also have the Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology (MBMIST), which is accredited by the National Board for Technical Education ( NBTE) as a training centre in Katsina and offers Diploma.
“So we have acquired ISO 29990:2010 for training on all aspects of meteorology, applied meteorology, including climate change”, he explained.
NiMet is the first met service on the African continent to have acquired this certification. Presently the Agency is serving as auditor for some African countries like Malawi, and Gambia.
It is of note that NiMet has also been approached by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to assist and guide them to acquire this certification.
According to Prof. Matazu, the implication of this recertification is like the stamp of standardization of service delivery by an international organisation and gives a guarantee on the precision and efficiency of NiMet’s products and services.
Prof Matazu revealed that his Agency is exposing its operations to quality management systems and even transforming to Safety Management Systems (SMS) across all its operations in the country. He assured that NiMet is striving to do more and is open to assisting other MDAs of government to pass through this process.
