Yemisi lzuora
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is developing a national digital platform to provide farmers, livestock keepers, and agricultural advisers with more reliable, location-specific weather and climate information, called the NiMet Data Hub and built with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Crea2Solutions.
The project has moved beyond design and mock-ups to an advanced Minimum Viable Product.
NiMet’s weather and climate services are now in testing and work on the hub began in February 2026 under the Climate Services for Youth (CS4Y) and AGRA programmes. By July 2026 the project advanced from early design to a testable product.
The initiative aims to improve access to historical, monitored, and forecast climate data and to support risk analysis, seasonal planning, and climate-informed decision-making.
Officials and partners say the hub responds to longstanding weaknesses in agricultural climate services, fragmented data, limited coordination among information providers, and challenges converting technical forecasts into timely, practical advice.
NiMet and ILRI co-hosted stakeholder engagements that mapped Nigeria’s agrometeorological data and advisory landscape, identified information and delivery gaps, strengthened institutional linkages, improved last‑mile communication, and supported gender and social inclusion.
The platform is expected to serve farmers, pastoralists, extension professionals, researchers, government bodies, and private advisory providers. NiMet resources including online map rooms and agricultural climate products will feed the system to enable context-specific agro‑weather advisories.
ILRI’s role aligns with its broader work organizing research data, developing digital tools, and making information more usable for partners and decision-makers.
The project aligns with the food security, climate-smart agriculture, and digital service goals of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By putting usable climate information into the hands of producers and advisers, the hub aims to boost preparedness, reduce climate-related losses, and strengthen agri-food livelihoods.