By Abdullahi lukman
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is set to present its highly anticipated 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) to the public on February 4, 2025.
This year’s presentation will highlight the theme: “The Role of Early Warnings towards a Climate Resilient Aviation Industry for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development.”
The event will showcase critical climate forecasts and their implications for various sectors, particularly in relation to aviation, agriculture, and disaster risk management.
Each year, NiMet releases its seasonal climate predictions in the first quarter, outlining expected weather patterns across Nigeria.
These predictions include important details about rainfall, temperature variations, and other climate variables that significantly impact national development.
The goal is to equip the government, businesses, and communities with the necessary information to prepare for and respond to potential climatic challenges.
According to NiMet’s Director General/CEO, Prof. Charles Anosike, the SCP is a vital tool in guiding socio-economic activities in key sectors.
He explained that the forecast provides insight into potential impacts on agriculture, aviation, health, oil and gas, telecommunication, tourism, transport, power, and water resources management, among others.
“The Seasonal Climate Prediction document helps to inform policy decisions, planning, and resource management, with specific emphasis on sectors that are directly influenced by the annual climate patterns,” Prof. Anosike said.
For 2025, NiMet’s report will cover critical aspects of the forthcoming rainy season, including the onset and cessation dates, the length of the cropping season, and the total rainfall expected across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
The forecast will also provide temperature predictions for the first five months of the year (January to May), as well as a vigilance forecast for malaria and meningitis, which are typically linked to specific seasonal weather patterns.
The SCP is particularly relevant for agriculture, as it enables farmers to plan crop cycles, determine planting and harvesting schedules, and anticipate extreme weather events such as droughts or floods.
In the aviation sector, early warnings about adverse weather conditions—such as heavy rainfall, low visibility, or storms—help to ensure safer flight operations, especially in a climate that increasingly faces variability and extremes.
In addition to its focus on sector-specific predictions, the report will highlight broader socio-economic implications.
This will include the potential effects of the weather on energy production, particularly from hydroelectric sources, and the transportation of goods, especially by road and water.
NiMet’s forecasts also play a crucial role in disaster risk management by helping authorities prepare for extreme events such as floods, droughts, or heatwaves.
The 2025 SCP will be presented at a public event attended by key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and representatives from the diplomatic community.
The presentation will also include a summary of the forecast specifically tailored for policymakers, as well as translations of the forecast into three major Nigerian languages to ensure accessibility and inclusivity.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, is scheduled to formally present the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction.
He will also introduce the publication’s summary for policymakers and the translated versions.
NiMet’s public presentation of the SCP serves not only as a crucial advisory tool for government planning and public awareness but also as a forum for discussing strategies that will help strengthen Nigeria’s resilience to climate-related challenges.
By providing detailed, actionable climate data, NiMet aims to foster climate resilience across various sectors and regions of Nigeria.