Protocol:

Honourable Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation Technology, Honourable Members of the Committee, Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Esteemed delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), whose presence today reaffirms the regional significance of strengthening weather and climate services in Nigeria Distinguished representatives of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), our valued global partner in advancing meteorological science, capacity development, and international cooperation Former Directors-General/CEOs of NiMet, Heads of Sister Parastatals, Respected Stakeholders, Representatives of the National Unions Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning.

It is both an honour and a privilege to appear before you today in my capacity as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), to present and speak in support of the Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment) Act No. 29, 2022 (the Bill). Background The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is the statutory authority responsible for providing weather, climate, and early warning services in Nigeria.

NiMet is also responsible for regulating the standard of non-aeronautical meteorological activities and operations across the country. NiMet’s mandate spans the full spectrum of meteorological services, including inter alia weather observation and forecasting, weather and climate monitoring, aviation meteorology, marine meteorology, and agrometeorology. Specifically, the services rendered by the Agency include but are not limited to the following: • Impact-based Forecasts • Historical Records of rainfall amount, minimum and maximum temperature, wind speed and direction, air temperature, and relative humidity • Rainfall Intensity duration & Frequency • Historical records of sunshine duration, potential evaporation • Historical records of Station level pressure and mean sea level pressure 1 • Soil temperatures, soil moisture and other climatic parameters • Marine weather forecasts for inshore waters and coastal waters • OPMET data • Seasonal Climate Predictions • Crop calendars and farmers guide • Climatological yearbook • Maps, charts, tables • Daily, decadal, and monthly weather bulletins • Daily, decadal, and monthly monitoring of construction sites • Site pre-study • Special weather bulletins and forecasts.

It is therefore no surprise that weather and climate have a direct and far-reaching impact on virtually every sector of the Nigerian economy – aviation, maritime, agriculture, construction, oil and gas, telecommunications, and disaster risk reduction, among others.

Although the NiMet Act was amended as recently as 2022 to strengthen the Agency’s legal and operational framework, the realities of implementation have revealed some gaps that hinder its full effectiveness. In particular, challenges remain in the areas of cost recovery, rulemaking, and compliance & enforcement.

We must acknowledge that no law, however well-conceived, can anticipate every future challenge at the time of enactment. Legal frameworks must therefore remain flexible and responsive to evolving needs, especially in rapidly changing, data-driven sectors such as meteorology. Against this backdrop, it is pertinent to note that NiMet has made significant progress over the years in enhancing the quality, accuracy, and reach of its services. Nevertheless, to keep pace with the growing demands of Nigeria’s dynamic economy and to ensure the long-term sustainability of its operations, it is imperative that the Agency be equipped with a strengthened legal framework that addresses existing gaps and aligns with both national development priorities and international best practices. Purpose of this presentation.

The purpose of this presentation is simply to justify the amendments proposed in the NiMet Bill, 2025. Particularly, those geared towards the establishment of a cost recovery framework that ensures the sustainable delivery of critical meteorological services to sectors such as marine, construction and telecommunications. These amendments are intended to: • Strengthen national meteorological infrastructure and resilience; • Enhance safety, efficiency, and planning across sectors; • Ensure that users of specialized meteorological services in the stated sectors pay costs associated with the provision of such services.

2. While the current Act (Sections 7(1)(l) and 7(2)) empowers NiMet to issue meteorological information and to impose cost and sustainability recovery charges, it only provides a detailed framework for cost recovery within the aviation sector. There is currently no equivalent mechanism for non-aeronautical sectors, resulting in unrecovered operational costs, increased pressure on government funding, poor infrastructural development and limited-service coverage. It is also important to clarify that International best practices support cost recovery from specialized services. Both WMO Resolution 40 and Resolution 25 endorse cost recovery from commercial and non-core public good services. Focus of the Proposed Amendment The Bill seeks to address key gaps in the current legislation and strengthen NiMet’s operational capacity in four critical areas: a. Cost Recovery b. Rule Making c. Compliance & Enforcement d. Designation of Directors A). COST RECOVERY To provide context, it is important to briefly restate NiMet’s mandate in this area.

The NiMet Act designates the Agency as the sole authority responsible for prescribing and issuing meteorological data and information for all sectoral activities in Nigeria (Section 7(2) of the NiMet Act). It also authorizes NiMet to charge cost and sustainability recovery fees for services rendered to users (Section 7(1)(l) of the NiMet Act). Within the framework of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), cost recovery refers to the process utilized by national meteorological services to recover costs incurred in the provision of meteorological services. This typically entails charging fees for access to meteorological data, products, or services that exceed the scope of the standard public weather services generally offered by them.

The statutory responsibility of NiMet under Section 7(2) of the Act extends across key sectors of the economy, including aviation, marine and blue economy, construction, and telecommunications. However, despite these broad obligations, the current Act lacks a clear financial framework to enable efficient and full recovery of the costs associated with delivering these essential services. To address this gap, the NiMet Bill introduces a revision to Section 16, establishing more explicit and enforceable provisions for cost recovery—especially for sectors heavily reliant on meteorological data, such as maritime, construction, and telecommunications. Notably, the proposed cost recovery model is not unprecedented. In the aviation sector, cost recovery for aeronautical meteorological services is already standard practice. Similarly, international models support this approach: the UK Met Office receives strategic funding from key sectors like maritime and defence; the U.S. National Weather Service is partially funded 3 through cooperative agreements with user agencies; and both ICAO and WMO frameworks advocate for cost recovery as part of sustainable infrastructure support.

The Bill specifically proposes a structured cost recovery mechanism targeting the following sectors: a. Marine & Blue Economy The central issue is not whether the Marine and Blue Economy sector utilizes meteorological data -it clearly does- but rather how to ensure a structured and sustainable mechanism for recovering the costs of providing these vital services.

The NiMet Act explicitly empowers the Agency to recover such costs, as outlined in Sections 7(1)(l), 7(2)(h), and 16(1)(h)(i)(ii), but falls short of detailing the mechanisms for effective cost recovery. As a major consumer of meteorological data, the Marine and Blue Economy sector relies heavily on accurate and timely weather information for safe navigation, efficient operations, and environmental protection. In alignment with Section 7(2)(h) of the Act and Chapter V, Regulation 5, Sub Regulation 4 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, which mandates member states to support the collection and dissemination of meteorological data for maritime safety, NiMet has consistently contributed to this sector through the delivery of specialized marine meteorological services. In implementing an MoU signed with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), NiMet deployed marine meteorological observation stations and developed a robust system for delivering critical marine forecasts and products across Nigeria’s territorial waters. These include 24-hour forecasts on wind speed and direction, sea state, tides, visibility, and other weather conditions relevant to maritime operations. Key coverage areas include Calabar (Eket), Port Harcourt coastal waters, Warri, Koko, Lagos, and formerly Aiyetoro. Additionally, under a collaboration with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), NiMet has installed Marine Automatic Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) in Lokoja, Calabar, and Warri, with on-going installation at Koko. Despite the scope and importance of these services, there is currently no formal cost recovery framework in place for the marine sector, unlike the aviation sector. In aviation, NiMet receives a portion of statutory charges collected by relevant agencies such as ticket and cargo levies through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), en-route and overflight charges from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and landing fees via the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

This arrangement has proven effective in ensuring consistent, high-quality meteorological services critical to air safety. It is imperative that a similar mechanism is deployed for the Marine and Blue Economy sector to ensure long-term sustainability, service expansion, and continuous improvement in safety and operational efficiency. In line with the legal provisions under Sections 7(1)(l), 7(2)(h), and 16(1)(h)(i)(ii) of the NiMet Act, the following cost recovery charges are proposed from the statutory revenues of key agencies within the sector for the provision of marine meteorological services, mirroring existing models under Section 16(1)(e)-(g) for the Aviation sector: 4 • NIMASA: 10% of the 3% gross freight on all international inbound and outbound cargo. • NIWA: 3% of total revenue from harbour and river guide dues/rates. • NPA: 5% of revenue from harbour/port charges and pilotage dues.

These proposed contributions will establish a fair and sustainable model for financing meteorological services that support the Marine and Blue Economy thereby enhancing maritime safety and economic efficiency. b. Construction Works and Telecommunications NiMet’s statutory mandate, as articulated in Section 7(2)(e) of the NiMet Act, grants the Agency exclusive authority to provide meteorological data and information critical to the construction sector. This mandate extends to all construction-related activities, including government and private projects involving buildings of four storeys and above, roads, dams, telecommunications infrastructure, and related developments. Section 16(1)(h)(ix) further recognizes that NiMet’s funding should include fees derived from providing meteorological services for these construction and infrastructure projects. Coupled with Section 7(1)(l), which empowers NiMet to charge cost recovery and sustainability fees, there is a clear legal basis to establish a structured funding mechanism for this sector. To ensure sustainable delivery of specialized meteorological services, it is proposed under the NiMet Bill that a cost recovery charge of 1% of the tax-exclusive cost of construction works contract in respect of all government and non-government buildings, roads, dams, telecommunication masts and other related projects in Nigeria, be established under the Act, for the provision of meteorological information.

This charge would be deducted at source and remitted directly to NiMet, streamlining revenue collection and guaranteeing the Agency can recover operational costs effectively. Such a mechanism will enable NiMet to maintain and enhance its critical support services, providing accurate weather and climate data that improves safety, project planning, and risk management across Nigeria’s rapidly growing construction and telecommunications sectors. B). RULEMAKING We are also proposing an amendment to Section 43 of the NiMet Act to grant the Agency express authority to develop, issue, and revise regulations, rules, and guidelines independently—without requiring further external approval.

This approach mirrors the regulatory autonomy granted to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) under the NCAA Act, 2022. This amendment is critical for eliminating the delays and administrative bottlenecks currently associated with the approval process. To ensure transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement, the proposed amendment includes a provision mandating the Agency to consult relevant stakeholders during the rule-making process.

Additionally, it introduces the power to impose penalties for non-compliance, reinforcing the enforceability of NiMet’s regulations. 5 Granting NiMet this regulation-making autonomy is essential for timely and effective governance in a sector that is both data-driven and highly responsive to climate disasters. C). COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT The Bill proposes an amendment to Section 30(2) to classify the failure to pay or remit any fee, levy, or charge prescribed under the Act or any regulation, rule, or order made pursuant to it, as an offence.

This amendment is essential to strengthen the enforcement framework of the Act and ensure greater compliance with its financial provisions. In support of this amendment, we wish to respectfully request the inclusion of an additional clause in the Bill, stating that payment of any stipulated fine shall not absolve or substitute for the payment of outstanding sums owed to the Agency.

This ensures that penalties serve as a deterrent without undermining the Agency’s right to recover the actual fees or charges due. D). DESIGNATION OF DIRECTORS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS In the Bill, we are also proposing that the Directors who lead the various directorates within the Agency be formally designated as Executive Directors.

These individuals play a central role in the day-to-day management and strategic operations of the Agency, bearing significant administrative and technical responsibilities. REQUEST FOR REMOVAL OF PROVISIONS ON THE NIGERIAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY DEVELOPMENT FUND (NIMDEF) FROM THE BILL As part of this presentation, I wish to respectfully request that all provisions relating to the establishment of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency Development Fund (NIMDEF) be expunged from the amendment bill.

These provisions were inadvertently included and do not accurately reflect the Agency’s current strategic or legislative priorities. Retaining them may create confusion or misalignment with the intended objectives of the proposed amendments. We therefore recommend their complete removal to ensure the Bill remains focused, coherent, and consistent with NiMet’s statutory mandate and operational framework. REQUEST FOR INCLUSION OF COST RECOVERY STRUCTURE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THE BILL I would also like to propose the inclusion of a detailed cost recovery structure for the Agricultural and Food Security sector within the NiMet Bill. Pursuant to Section 7(2)(d) of the NiMet Act, 2022, the Agency is designated as the sole authority responsible for prescribing and issuing meteorological information and data to the 6 agricultural and food security sector.

Over the years, NiMet has consistently provided essential climate and weather-related services that enhance agricultural planning, insurance operations, research, risk management efforts and food security. Through the provision of timely, accurate, and location-specific weather and climate information, including early warnings and Seasonal Climate Predictions (SCP), NiMet plays a central role in improving agricultural productivity. These forecasts are downscaled and disseminated to support evidence-based decision-making, particularly in addressing flood and drought risks, enhancing food security, and strengthening disaster preparedness.

Consequently, NiMet’s services contribute significantly to reducing crop losses, boosting yields, and building resilience against climate variability. To ensure the continued sustainability and quality of these services, Section 7(1)(l) of the NiMet Act authorizes the Agency to recover costs from users who directly benefit from its meteorological services across the agricultural value chain. Specifically, this request seeks to recover cost of data and information provided for agricultural insurance purposes. Meteorological data is fundamental to agricultural insurance, forming the basis for product design, premium calculation, real-time monitoring, and post-event verification. NiMet provides both historical datasets and real-time meteorological services that enable and support these critical functions. Accordingly, having regard to the provisions of Sections 7(1)(l), 7(2)(d), and 16(1)(h)(ii) of the NiMet Act, and drawing from the cost recovery framework already established in the Act for the aviation sector under Sections 16(1)(e)-(g), the following cost recovery provision is hereby proposed: a. “5% charge on all premiums collected by the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) from policy holders, for the provision of agrometeorological services”.

The ‘premium from policy holders’ is part of the funds of the NAIC under the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation Act, CAP. N89, LFN, 2004. The Act establishes an agricultural insurance scheme for farmers that cover a variety of risks, including those caused by lightning, windstorms, floods, and droughts – areas directly influenced by meteorological conditions (Sections 6 and 8). b. “5% of the total premiums collected annually by agricultural insurance providers and related entities as a cost recovery fee for the provision of agrometeorological data and information.” c. The amount stipulated in items (a) and (b) above shall be remitted directly to NiMet’s designated account on a quarterly basis, not later than 15 days after the end of each quarter.

The remittance shall be accompanied by a detailed report of total premiums collected and the basis for the computation of the remitted sum.

CONCLUSION

Honourable Members, 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.

Thank you, Honourable members, ladies, and gentlemen for your attention. We are happy to provide further details or respond to any questions you may have.

Prof. Charles Anosike Director-General/CEO NiMet