The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has urged the National Assembly to amend its establishment Act to empower the Agency recover service charges as well as enhance its capability to deliver quality service in line with global best practices.

This is even as stakeholders commend the Director General/CEO of the Agency, Prof. Charles Anosike for the remarkable achievements recorded by the management within just a year and few months in office.

They spoke at a public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives on a bill initiated by the House Committee on Aviation Technology and sponsored by the former Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Technology, Hon. Isiaq Abiodun Akinlade.

The bill to amend the existing NiMet Act of 2022 seeks to provide clear and detailed framework for the Agency’s cost recovery across various sectors of the economy especially for non-aviation sectors and aims to strengthen the NiMet’s capacities to fulfill its mandate, promote efficiency, improve infrastructure, ensure safety and enhance staff welfare.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudden Abbas, while declaring the public hearing open, reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to people-oriented legislature.

The Speaker who was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Adewumi Onanuga (Ogun, APC), said critical and strategic MDAs such as NiMet, would be strengthened to ensure they have capacities for public growth, transparency and responsive to national needs, including climate changes and hazardous weather mitigation for safety of lives, especially vulnerable communities, among others.

In his speech, Professor Charles Anosike gave reasons to justify the proposed amendments, stressing that the practice of cost recovery is an acceptable norm and in line with global best practices, stressing that it was a critical requirement for the sustainability of the Agency.

Anosike said- “The NiMet Bill, 2025 is principally about fulfilling the statutory responsibilities of the Agency and ensuring attendant costs for services rendered are duly recovered as envisaged by the Principal Act. This is crucial in order to ensure the Agency is self-sustaining, efficient, and responsive to national development needs, in line with its Mandate. We therefore respectfully request that the amendments proposed in the NiMet Bill be approved.”

Others who attended the public hearing and also gave overwhelming support for amendment of the existing NiMet Act include representatives of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), NIMASA, FAAN, NCC, Trade Unions and three past Directors-General of NiMet, namely, Engr. Dr. Jide Adeniji, Dr. Anthony Anuforom and Professor Mansur Matazu as well as many former Directors of the Agency who made written and oral presentations.

In his closing remarks, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Tajudeen Kareem Abisodun, said all the oral and written submissions would be considered holistically to ensure that the proposed amendment would meet the needs and aspirations of both NiMet and the people of Nigeria.

He highlighted the importance of NiMet’s mandate towards safety of lives on land, in the air and on water which requires the collective responsibility of all.