From Sani Dalhat, Zaria
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is set to establish a mini-Automatic Weather Station (AWOS) at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, as part of efforts to meet licensing requirements for the operation of the Nigeria Research Reactor-1 (NIRR-1).
This development was announced in a statement signed by Awwal Umar, Director of the Public Affairs Directorate at ABU Zaria, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NiMet and CERT in Abuja.
According to the agreement, NiMet will collaborate with CERT to promote and domesticate the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), while also maintaining the meteorological instruments installed at the mini-weather station.
The partnership will also grant ABU’s staff and students access to NiMet’s meteorological and climate data for teaching, research, and training in climatology and meteorology, subject to the agency’s data policy.
The MoU outlines plans for joint research and development in meteorology, climatology, nuclear science, and material analysis, with a focus on producing high-quality research outputs.
NiMet has also committed to identifying locations for mapping naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and gaseous emissions around airports. The agency will fund consumables needed for enhanced instrumentation training in nuclear science research.
In return, CERT will provide land and necessary infrastructure for the mini-weather station, as well as technical support in soil fertility analysis to support NiMet’s seasonal climate prediction and climate-smart agriculture initiatives.
CERT will further assist NiMet in gaseous mapping, harmattan dust analysis, and NORM evaluation of airports. The centre will also train NiMet staff in both basic and applied nuclear science, along with analytical techniques for environmental assessments.
The partnership is also expected to boost collaborative inter-agency research in climatology, meteorology, nuclear science, and technology.
Additionally, CERT will work with NiMet to strengthen the production of key climate information products such as the Electronic Seasonal Climate Prediction (E-SCP), Annual Climate Review Bulletin, Quarterly Climate Review Bulletin, Agro-Meteorological Bulletin, and the Drought and Flood Monitoring Bulletin.
