NiMet Has Safeguarded Aviation Operations, Says Keyamo
“NiMet has, for over a century, remained a cornerstone of Nigeria’s safety, resilience and development architecture by safeguarding aviation operations and supporting agriculture, water resources management, disaster risk reduction, health services, energy planning, transportation, among others.”
These were the words of Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), in his keynote speech at the public presentation of the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction (scp), on February 10, 2026, at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
He said “the document that we are unveiling today reflects Nigeria’s growing commitment to science-based planning, foresight, and resilience. It underscores the need to continually strengthen our homegrown scientific expertise, invest in human capacity, and ensure that climate information effectively supports decision-making at Federal, States and Local Government levels.”
“We have already seen some significant rains across the southern parts of the country this year. Let me reiterate that these should not be taken to mean that the rainy season has started in these places. Those engaged in rainfed agriculture and other rainfall-dependent activities in Nigeria are therefore advised to refer to the predicted onset dates in this publication or consult NiMet for proper guidance. Early onset is expected in Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Oyo, and parts of Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, and Taraba States. While a late onset is expected over Borno State, rainfall cessation is anticipated to be earlier than normal in parts of Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kogi and Niger States. However, a delayed end of season is expected in Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Enugu, Cross River, Benue, Nasarawa and Kaduna States. A longer-than-normal length of rainy season is expected in Lagos, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ogun, Oyo, Nasarawa, Anambra, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Gombe and Taraba States. Whereas, parts of Borno, Yobe and Niger States are expected to have a shorter-than-normal length of rainy season.
A normal annual rainfall amount is anticipated in most parts of Nigeria compared to the long-term average. Above-normal rainfall is expected in Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Enugu, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom States, and the Federal Capital Territory; while in parts of Katsina, Zamfara, Kwara, Oyo, and Ogun States, below-normal rainfall is expected. During the season of March to May, severe dry spells exceeding 15 days are likely in parts of Oyo and Ogun States, while moderate dry spells are expected over Ekiti, Kogi, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ebonyi, Abia, Cross River, and Delta states, as well as parts of Kogi and Kwara states. Furthermore, during the June-July-August season, a severe dry spell that may last up to 21 days is predicted for parts of Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara states.
The Little Dry Season (LDS), also known as ‘August Break,’ is predicted to begin by late July and would be severe and prolonged over Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and parts of Oyo States. The number of days with little or no rainfall will range between 28 and 40 days. A moderate LDS effect is expected over Ondo, parts of Kwara and Edo States. Both daytime and nighttime temperatures are predicted to be warmer than the long-term average over most parts of the country in January, February, March, and May 2026. Details of the Prediction and the socioeconomic implications for various sectors of our national economy are contained in the document,” announced Keyamo.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation & Aerospace Development, Dr. Yakubu Adam Kofarmata said “the unveiling of the Seasonal Climate Prediction is not merely a scientific exercise. It is a strategic national engagement aimed at empowering decision-makers with credible, timely, and actionable climate information. In a climate sensitive country as like ours, seasonal forecasts play a critical role in supporting aviation, agriculture, water resources management, disaster risk reduction, public health, transportation, energy, and infrastructure development, among others.”
In his remarks, the Director-General/CEO of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike said “we have developed partnerships with governments and non-governmental organizations, who have been critical in downscaling the SCP document to local farmers in various states. We are working assiduously to fast-track the deployment of digital advisory services in partnership with local and international collaborators. However, there is still much ground to be covered. I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to call for increased partnerships with the Agency, particularly from state governments. We want to be able to downscale the 2026 SCP information to more states than we did in previous years. Nigerian Meteorological Agency remains committed to providing timely, accurate and reliable weather and climate information to ensure that we build a climate resilient economy.”
