The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has stated that adequate data and funding is critical to ensuring that information on early warnings is communicated to Nigerians in different sectors of the economy.

Director General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, made the disclosure in Abuja during the World Meteorological Day Celebration with the theme "Closing the Early Warning Gap Together."

He said, "NiMet has remained at the forefront of advancing early warning systems through science-based weather and climate services. Our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), daily weather forecast and bulletins, Impact-Based forecast and other publications have proven instrumental in disaster risk reduction across all socioeconomic sectors."

Prof. Anosike noted that, "Adequate data and funding is required including strong collaboration, coordination and cooperation between national and international partners, policymakers, the private sector, and local communities especially the youth. Government alone cannot do it."

Also speaking, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) representative for North, West, and Central African regions, Bernard Gomez, said the organisation is working with Nigeria to also host a numerical weather prediction centre of excellence with state-of-the-art structures.