100,000 Farmers to Benefit as NiMet, Private Sector Partner on Digital Weather Alerts for Climate Resilience

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has launched a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative that will provide over 100,000 smallholder farmers across Nigeria with digital weather and climate advisory services, a move aimed at strengthening food security and building resilience against climate change.

The initiative was unveiled during NiMet’s Stakeholders Engagement in Lagos, under the theme: “Unlocking Opportunities Through NiMet Public-Private Partnership: A Case Study on Digital Climate Advisory Services to Smallholder Farmers.”

Mrs. Ifeoma Ebede, NiMet’s General Manager, PPP, explained that Nigeria’s economic growth continues to face obstacles due to massive infrastructure deficits, making innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors more critical than ever.

“Public-Private Partnerships are not just about financing. They combine government oversight with private sector efficiency, innovation, and technical know-how to deliver real value,” Ebede said.

Agriculture at the Center of the Partnership

Agriculture remains Nigeria’s largest employer, engaging nearly 70 percent of the population and contributing around 25 percent of the GDP. Recognizing this, NiMet is prioritizing the sector as a critical area where collaboration can deliver tangible results.

The new initiative will provide farmers with localized weather forecasts and smart agricultural advisories directly through SMS. The pilot phase is being rolled out across six states—Kano, Yobe, Kogi, Ebonyi, Delta, and Oyo—with over 100,000 farmers set to benefit.

Partners in the project include Tomorrow.io and MTN, operating under a Build-Operate-Transfer model.

Boosting Yields and Resilience

Beyond improving yields, the project is designed to help farmers adapt to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and irregular rainfall patterns. Ebede emphasized that PPPs should be seen as catalysts for sustainability and innovation rather than mere stopgaps for funding.

“Together, government, private sector, and development partners can unlock the full value of climate and weather services to build resilient communities, improve livelihoods, and drive national growth,” she said.

Ebede also called on the government to create a more enabling policy environment for investors, urging private players to bring forward technological expertise, while development partners align their resources to scale results nationwide.

A New Era for Climate-Smart Agriculture

The digital climate advisory service represents a major step in mainstreaming climate-smart agriculture across Nigeria. By equipping smallholder farmers with timely weather data, NiMet and its partners hope to reduce losses, improve decision-making, and secure Nigeria’s food future in the face of climate change.

NiMet launches a Public-Private Partnership to provide 100,000 Nigerian farmers with digital weather alerts, boosting food security, climate resilience, and climate-smart agriculture.