The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has urged state governments to utilise the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) to enhance economic resilience and sustainability.
The call is contained in a statement on Sunday by HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu.
Arigbabu highlighted the SCP’s role in shaping policies that help Nigeria adapt to climate realities.
He stressed that timely climate data is vital for Nigeria’s largely climate-dependent agricultural sector.
“This appeal follows NiMet’s release of the 2025 SCP, offering crucial insights into weather patterns affecting agriculture, water resources, disaster management, health, defence, maritime, transport, and aviation.
“In 2024, HEDA, in partnership with NiMet and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), trained 150 state agriculture and environment officials, alongside NGOs, on climate adaptation strategies.
“However, this is merely a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed,” Arigbabu said.
He urged state governors and local government chairmen to fully utilise the SCP and NiMet’s climate data.
Arigbabu added that the SCP could accelerate efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty while fostering prosperity and sustainable development across states.
“To achieve this, HEDA recommends that states install more weather stations and work with NiMet to localise the SCP for their specific regions.
“They should also use state-owned media to enhance public understanding of climate information.
“Additionally, stronger collaboration with NiMet is needed to improve agro-meteorological advisory services,” he said.
According to him, by taking these steps, Nigeria can build climate resilience, ensure food security, and promote sustainable development.
He emphasised the SCP’s role as an early warning tool, helping stakeholders anticipate and respond to climate challenges.
Arigbabu also commended NiMet’s dedication to providing accurate climate data to support decision-making across sectors.
NAN
