Photo caption: NiMet DG/CEO Prof. Charles Anosike speaking at the strategic dialogue.

Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof Charles Anosike, has commended the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, for his efforts towards promoting climate-smart agriculture.

Anosike also urged stakeholders in the agriculture and good sector, to develop a practical, inclusive and measurable roadmap for integrating weather and climate services into decision-making across the sector’s value chain.

The NiMet boss stated this in his goodwill message at a National Strategic Dialogue on the Preparation of the AGROW Component 2.2 – National Implementation Strategy and Digital Agriculture Architecture, organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under the World Bank-supported Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value Chain (AGROW) Project.

The dialogue, held under the theme, “Building a Unified, Inclusive and Future-Ready Digital Agriculture Ecosystem for a More Productive, Resilient and Food-Secure Nigeria,” brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening Nigeria’s digital agriculture ecosystem.

Anosike confirmed NiMet’s commitment to strengthening weather and climate information services for farmers as part of efforts to build a more productive, resilient and food-secure agricultural sector in Nigeria.

He said the dialogue was important to NiMet given its mandate to provide weather and climate information that protects lives, supports livelihoods and enables informed planning across climate-sensitive sectors.

According to Anosike, climate variability, changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather events are increasingly affecting agriculture, making timely and reliable climate information critical to agricultural planning and decision-making.

He noted that NiMet provides Seasonal Climate Predictions, regular weather updates, agric meteorological services and impact-based advisories to help farmers make informed decisions on planting, water and input management, while reducing avoidable losses.

Some participants at the dialogue.

He emphasized the importance of digital agriculture as a critical pathway for translating climate information into practical, farm-level action and also highlighted NiMet’s partnerships with Tomorrow.io and MTN on the Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) System, which is designed to deliver location specific weather advisories to farmers through mobile SMS.

The above, Anosike said, was in addition to NiMet’s collaboration with the Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) to strengthen the integration of AI-based weather forecasting with digital advisory systems.

He stressed the need for digital agricultural services to reach farmers through accessible and trusted channels, noting that collaboration with extension services, technology providers, telecommunications companies, community radio and farmer organisations would be essential for effective last-mile delivery.

The NiMet CEO also emphasised the importance of making such services responsive to farmers’ realities, including language, literacy, connectivity, affordability and gender inclusion, while involving farmers in the development of climate services.

He concluded his remark by expressing optimism that the dialogue would advance climate-smart, digitally enabled and farmer-centred agriculture, while reaffirming NiMet’s readiness to provide the technical leadership needed to strengthen climate services, support food security and build resilient livelihoods in Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday disclosed that his government has created 650,000 jobs through its National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinics in 19 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Tinubu also vowed to remove all bottlenecks militating against Nigerians turning ideas and skills into successful businesses.

The President made this known via his verified X handle, @officialABAT and explained that a tailor should not need millions of naira to buy industrial machinery before she can grow her business while a food processor should not have to build a factory before producing at scale.

This, he stated, informed why the Federal Government, “under our Renewed Hope administration, is investing in shared MSME hubs through our National MSME Clinics, giving entrepreneurs access to modern equipment, reliable power and production facilities without carrying the full cost alone.”

According to Tinubu: “Today, 21 shared facilities across 19 states and the FCT are supporting businesses and an estimated 650,000 jobs. ReadPolitical News

“Nigerians do not lack ideas, skill or ambition. Too often, they lack access to the tools and infrastructure needed to turn them into successful businesses.

“Our job is to remove those barriers.

“When small businesses can produce more, at lower cost, they become more competitive. They grow. They employ more people. They create income and opportunity for Nigerian families.

“Giving Nigerian enterprise the tools to succeed is how we build prosperity from the ground up. That is the Nigeria we are building.”

Health professionals have warned that regular consumption of shawarma containing high amounts of salt, sugar, fat, seasoning and processed meat may contribute to hypertension, obesity, diabetes and kidney disease.

Excessive salt can raise blood pressure and put additional strain on the kidneys, while high-calorie sauces may contribute to weight gain.

Nutrition experts advised Nigerians to eat shawarma in moderation, use less mayonnaise and other sauces, choose lean grilled meat and add more vegetables. Consumers were also urged to check vendors’ cleanliness and avoid food prepared where ingredients are exposed to flies, dust or poor handling.

A recent report by experts also warned that frequent consumption of Shawarma may increase the risk of other food-borne infections and long-term health problems.

The report contains documented cases of people who suffered vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and weakness after eating shawarma, with some requiring hospital treatment.

According to the report,  poor hygiene could allow bacteria and other contaminants into shawarma, causing illnesses including cholera, dysentery, typhoid and salmonellosis.

It also raised concerns about mayonnaise and creamy sauces kept without proper refrigeration and warned that poor storage could encourage bacterial growth and increase the risk of food poisoning.

A study cited in the report found bacterial contamination in ready-to-eat shawarma sold on the streets

Experts also raised concerns about processed meat such as sausage, noting that the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meat as carcinogenic to humans.