NiMET Laments Zero Federal Funding Amid Climate-Health Push
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has disclosed a total lack of federal budgetary support, revealing that its statutory operations are funded entirely through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Despite this fiscal drought, the agency reaffirmed its commitment on Wednesday to building a climate-resilient health system. Speaking at the “Wiser-Health” workshop in Lagos, Director of Research and Training, Prof. Peter Odjugo, confirmed that the agency received no federal allocation in 2025, continuing a trend of recent years that forces NiMET to rely on its own commercial earnings to provide essential weather services.
The agency is now pivoting toward the development of an integrated climate and health early warning system. Director-General Prof. Charles Anosike warned that climate change is actively intensifying public health risks, specifically citing heat stress, airborne infections, and vector-borne diseases. The goal of the current initiative is to close the gap between raw meteorological data and actionable medical planning. NiMET aims to translate climate intelligence into practical solutions for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in line with Nigeria’s updated climate commitments.
International partners have noted Nigeria’s lead in this sector despite the funding challenges. Juliet Whitley, Head of Health at the British High Commission, stated that Nigeria is pioneering an early warning system that allows the health sector to prepare for extreme weather events. The United Kingdom is currently supporting the programme to build a health system that is more resilient to the shifting environment. This collaboration is seen as a critical component of Nigeria’s third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which integrates health considerations into the national climate strategy.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is also collaborating on the project to mitigate the impact of climate-sensitive disasters. Chief Disaster Risk Reduction Officer Isa Abulkasir emphasised that NEMA intends to leverage NiMET’s data to enhance community resilience. The workshop in Lagos is intended to identify vulnerable populations and promote the “co-production” of health services using data science and artificial intelligence. For NiMET, the use of AI is not just a technical upgrade but a necessity to manage growing responsibilities with static resources.
While the agency continues to innovate, the lack of federal funding remains a significant hurdle for long-term sustainability. Prof. Odjugo stressed that building an efficient early warning system is a “national imperative” that requires more than just scientific will. The reliance on IGR limits the agency’s ability to expand its observation networks into remote areas where climate-health data is most needed. Without a formal budgetary line, the burden of protecting Nigeria’s public health from environmental shocks falls on an agency that is effectively self-financing its public service mission.
The workshop concluded with a call for deeper inter-agency synergy between meteorological, hydrological, and health institutions. The consensus among participants is that “climate intelligence” must be treated as a public good rather than a commercial product. As Nigeria faces more frequent extreme weather events, the effectiveness of its health sector will increasingly depend on the reliability of the forecasts provided by NiMET. The agency’s leadership remains confident that through collaboration, they can safeguard livelihoods despite the persistent financial squeeze.