WMO joins Nigeria to celebrate World Meteorological Day 2025

 

 

• Assures of data flows to monitor world weather

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has joined Nigeria to celebrate ‘World Meteorological Day, highlighting the contributions of the Organisation to global economy, environment, agriculture and air transport connectivity.

Speaking in Abuja while celebrating the Day at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Representative of WMO, Bernard Gomez reiterated the crucial role weather forecast plays in daily planning of individuals, governments and organisations.

He said: “On behalf of the S-G, Prof. Celeste Saulo, it is my pleasure to deliver this goodwill message as we commemorate the World Meteorological Day and the 75th Anniversary of the World Meteorological Organization as the United Nation’s authoritative voice on weather, climate, and water.

“Today – and indeed for the whole of this year – we celebrate the contribution of WMO and its Members to saving lives, serving society, and protecting our planet.

“During the past 75 years, the WMO community provided scientific evidence, information and services which has shaped decision making to safeguard and promote public well-being, and to make the world safer, more secure, and prosperous.

“Without WMO coordination and its unified network, each country would face the impossible task of collecting global data on its own.Every minute of every day, data flows from monitoring stations across the world to weather prediction centres.” 

He stated that free and unrestricted exchange of weather-related data, products, and services are critical to national security and to climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, aviation, marine, energy, health, water, and disaster management.

‘These efforts have added value to the global economy in billions of dollars, and billions more have been saved by avoiding economic losses from weather, climate, and water-related hazards. And we have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

“Today, humanity is faced with the challenges of Climate Change.The world witnessed the hottest 10 years on record in 2024. 

“The year 2024 was also confirmed as the hottest year on record and is likely to be the first calendar year to temporarily hit 1.5 °C above the pre-industrial era.”

Read Also: World’s first pig-to-human liver transplant successful

Gomez explained that”very fraction of a degree matters to our lives, our livelihoods, and biodiversity as this increases our vulnerability and exposure to more frequent and intense heatwaves, more devastating storms, floods and drought, and more rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones. 

“In Nigeria, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, windstorms, floods, and dry spells has witnessed an increase in the last 10 years with huge implications for human lives and socio-economic development.

“WMO’s top overriding priority is to ensure that early warning systems protect everyone, everywhere on the planet. To achieve this, international collaboration is more important than ever before, hence the theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day which is “Closing the Early Warnings Gap Together.” 

“National ownership remains at the heart of the Early Warnings for All initiative, with governments leading efforts to strengthen resilience and establish sustainable early warning systems.

“National Meteorological and Hydrological Services must remain the source of authoritative warnings, while the private sector can help drive innovation, strengthen dissemination, and enhance risk knowledge.

“We are glad to note that collaboration with bilateral and multilateral donors, climate funds, and development banks is increasing support for early warning efforts. This is because the Early Warnings for All initiative is a human and moral imperative and it makes economic sense. 

“On a global scale, every US$ 1 invested in early warnings is estimated to result in about US$ 9 in net economic benefits. This analysis in higher at the national level.

“To ensure everyone in Nigeria is covered by multi-hazard early warning systems, we must:Innovate inclusively to scale up relevant technologies for production and dissemination of Early Warnings; Cooperate with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to foster coordination among the various sectors; andInvest together as stakeholders to create, mobilise, and deploy resources for an effective Multi-Hazard Early Warning System.”

The North-Western Regional Representative of the WMO noted that the time to act is now. “By acting now, we can achieve the promise of Early Warnings for All in Nigeria.”

WMO reaffirmed its commitment to a technologically advanced and efficient Early Warning System, and a safer, more resilient Nigeria.