Joseph Bakare
Professor Charles Anosike, Director General and CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has been elected President of the Board of Governors of the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) for a four-year term.
The election took place on September 10, 2026, in Cotonou, Benin, during the 24th Ordinary Session of the ACMAD Board of Governors, held alongside the 22nd African Climate Outlook Forum (ACCOF22).
In his new role, Anosike will provide strategic leadership to strengthen institutional governance, build productive partnerships, and improve climate services across Africa, while supporting ACMAD’s mission to enhance the use of weather and climate information for the continent’s sustainable socio-economic development.
His election affirms NiMet’s leading position within Africa’s meteorological community and underscores Nigeria’s commitment to advancing weather and climate services that protect lives and property, build climate resilience, and support stronger economies across Africa.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as African nations work to build their capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to growing weather and climate-related risks, in line with the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.
The session brought together members of the ACMAD Board of Governors along with key institutional partners to review progress and reinforce the Centre’s strategic direction and governance. The high-level opening ceremony featured Dr. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director-General of ACMAD; Dr. Adamou Aïssatou Sitta, Vice-President of the ACMAD Board and Director of Niger’s Meteorological Services; Mr. Harsen Nyambe, Director of the African Union Commission’s Department of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE); and H.E. Georges Alé, Benin’s Minister of Living Environment and Transport, in charge of Sustainable Development.