The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has earned a research grant from the United Kingdom Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) to African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (SWIFT).
NiMet’s spokesman, Mr. Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim said in a statement issued in Abuja that the research which is intended to improve the existing specialty and accuracy of NiMet forecast would also benefit different sectors of the nation’s economy.
He said four beneficiaries of the grant were carefully selected in line with their area of specialization and expertise.
The experts from are aeronautical meteorologist, Mr. Ibrahim Ishiyaku, meteorologist/climatologist, Dr. Mansur Matazu, specialist in atmospheric science, Dr. Kamoru Lawal, and numerical weather prediction specialist, Mr. Eniola Olaniyan.
“The staff therefore will participate in International research project with global consortia over a four-year programme by joining the team of 25 UK and 45 African atmospheric scientists, social scientists and operational forecasters who would undertake fundamental scientific research into the physics of tropical weather systems, evaluation and presentation of complex model, satellite data, communications and exploitation of forecasts.
“The project which would have direct impact on aviation, agriculture, energy, water resources, health and emergency response will ensure results can be translated beyond partner countries and into the wider developing world.
“This achievement further underscores NiMet’s pace-setting efforts in technological advancement of Nigeria and its ability to hold its own in the comity of scientists,” he said.
Ibrahim also the agency’s participation in SWIFT project “will support its (NiMet’s) capacity as a major training hub for Meteorology and Climate Sciences and as the WMO Regional Meteorological Training Centre for West Africa.”
He stated that NiMet, being a provider of weather and climate forecast, in collaboration with Federal University of Technology, Akure, and other partners, will be involved in the study of predictability of African rainfall on sub-seasonal timescales, skill assessment of sub-seasonal to seasonal models, satellite and remote sensing as well as synoptic methods of forecasting major rain producing systems over West Africa.
“This will further help to produce highly skilled professionals for Nigeria and West Africa in order to address the region’s weather and climate challenges,” he added.
Ishiyaku joined the former Department of Meteorological Services now NiMet, in I983. He holds B.Tech in Meteorology), Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management.
He is a meteorologist with a bias for aeronautical meteorology. He coordinated the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) task team on aeronautical meteorology on an international scale as well as being a member of the same weather forecast regulatory body, (WMO’s) Expert Team on Communication, Coordination and Partnership (ET-CCP). He is currently NiMet’s general manager, aeronautical meteorology.
Matazu, an associate professor of applied meteorology/climatology joined NiMet in 2015.
Matazu, who has garnered fifteen years of teaching and research experience taught in the Department of Geography, Federal University, Dutsinma and Department of Geography, University of Technology, Minna.
He has published numerous research papers on various aspects of theoretical, dynamic and applied meteorology in reputable international and local journals. His Research and administrative experience focuses on Physical Geography, Environment, Agriculture and Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation.
Matazu is currently the general manager, meteorological research as well as the technical assistant to the director general of the agency.
Lawal joined NiMet in 1987 as a Meteorological-Assistant-IV-in-Training. He studied meteorology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and graduated in 1997 with B. Tech and 2010 with M. Tech.
Lawal has worked in various departments of NiMet. Chiefly, he has been in the agency’s research and training directorate since 2009 after working for as aeronautical meteorologist.
He had taught various meteorological courses at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) affiliated Meteorological Research and Training Institute (MRTI), Oshodi, Lagos. Lawal completed his PhD programme at the University of Cape Town in 2015. A specialist in atmospheric science, he is currently a deputy-general manager, research and training.
Olaniyan joined NiMet in 1989 as a Meteorological-Assistant-IV-in-Training. He studied meteorology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and graduated in 1999 with B.Tech and obtained M. Sc Geography from the University of Lagos.
He is currently running a PhD programme on the use of sub-seasonal to seasonal forecast and its application in health at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
He is also a senior associate at the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy.
Olaniyan has worked in various departments of NiMet. Currently, he is an assistant general manager, responsible for the numerical weather prediction
