The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has said it is set to establish a mini-Automatic Weather Station (AWOS) at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. The AWOS is meant to support the licensing requirements for the Nigeria Research Reactor-1 (NIRR-1).

The initiative is part of a broader partnership contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed early this week in Abuja between NiMet and CERT for collaborative research and development.

Under the deal, NiMet will not only install and maintain the weather station but will also work with ABU’s energy research centre to promote and localise its Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), ensuring data from the station feeds into national climate advisories.

In a major boost to academia, the agency said it would allow ABU workers and students to access its vast meteorological and climate data for teaching, research, and training purposes — subject to its data policy.

NiMet’s Director-General, Prof. Charles Anosike, and ABU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, signed on behalf of their institutions.

The ceremony was witnessed by top university officials, including the Registrar, Malam Rabiu Samaila; CERT Director, Prof. S. A. Jonah, and Malam Hamza Sani of Physical Planning and Municipal Services.

Both parties also agreed to jointly pursue cutting-edge research in meteorology, climatology, nuclear science, and material analyses to deliver outputs of a global standard.

As part of the arrangement, NiMet will identify sites for gaseous and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) mapping around airports and bear costs for consumables needed in nuclear instrumentation training.

CERT will provide land and infrastructure for the weather station, support NiMet’s soil fertility analysis to strengthen seasonal climate prediction, and build the agency’s capacity in advanced environmental analysis, including harmattan dust and NORM evaluations.

The centre will further train NiMet personnel in nuclear science and facilitate high-impact collaborative research, enhancing the agency’s flagship products such as the E-SCP, climate review bulletins, agro-meteorological advisories, and drought and flood monitoring reports.