NiMet Tests Digital Data Hub To Improve Farmers’ Weather Information

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has commenced testing of a new digital data platform designed to improve farmers’ and other agricultural stakeholders’ access to location-specific weather and climate information.

The NiMet Data Hub, developed in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Crea2Solutions, has progressed from the design and mock-up stage to an advanced Minimum Viable Product (MVP), according to a statement issued by the agency on Monday.

The platform is expected to provide farmers, livestock keepers, agricultural advisers and other users with easier access to historical, monitored and forecast climate information to support agricultural planning and risk management.

The agency said development of the hub began in February 2026 under the Climate Services for Youth and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa programmes.

“By July 2026 the project had progressed from early design to a testable product,” the statement said.

According to NiMet, the initiative is intended to “improve access to historical, monitored and forecast climate information and to support risk analysis, seasonal planning and climate-informed decision-making.”

The agency said the development of the platform was driven by persistent weaknesses in agricultural climate services, including fragmented data, limited coordination among information providers and challenges in translating technical forecasts into timely and practical advice.

“Officials and partners have described the hub as a response to persistent weaknesses in agricultural climate services, including fragmented data, limited coordination among information providers, and the difficulty of turning technical forecasts into timely, practical advice,” it said.

The statement said stakeholder engagement co-hosted by NiMet and ILRI focused on mapping Nigeria’s agro-meteorological data and advisory landscape, while identifying gaps in the availability and delivery of climate information.

The engagement also sought to “strengthen institutional linkages, improve last-mile communication, and support gender and social inclusion.”

NiMet said the platform would serve a broad range of users, including farmers, pastoralists, extension professionals, researchers, government institutions and private advisory providers.

The agency’s existing resources, including online map rooms and agricultural climate products, are expected to feed into the system and support the development of context-specific agro-weather advisories.

It said ILRI’s contribution was aligned with its broader work of organising research data, developing digital tools and making information more accessible and useful to partners and decision-makers.

According to the statement, the project is consistent with the food security, climate-smart agriculture and digital service priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“By seeking to place usable climate information in the hands of producers and advisers, the hub is intended to support preparedness, reduce climate-related losses and strengthen agri-food livelihoods,” the statement said.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen the link between meteorological information and agricultural decision-making by making climate data more accessible to users who need it for planning and risk management.

The project seeks to improve coordination among institutions involved in the collection, processing and delivery of agricultural climate information, while strengthening communication between technical service providers and end users.

The development comes amid growing efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture and improve farmers’ ability to respond to changing weather patterns and climate-related risks.

NiMet and its partners are expected to continue testing and refining the platform as the Data Hub moves towards wider deployment.