Tag: NIMET

• Air Peace suspends flight operations nationwide

Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has waded in to halt the strike embarked upon by aviation workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

The minister will today meet with the NiMet management and the striking workers.

The industrial action yesterday forced the management of Air Peace Airline to announce the suspension of all flight operations nationwide.

The NiMET management expressed disappointed with the aviation unions’ hardline approach to a dispute resolution.

But today’s intervention my Mr. Keyamo, SAN, is expected return all parties to the dispute back to the negotiating desk.

Read Also: Restoring hope to the economy with naira-for-crude policy

Air Peace attributed the suspension of flights to the industrial action by NiMET workers.

The suspension according to the airline is due to the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) report required for safe landings.

The announcement of the suspension is contained in a notice posted by the Head of Corporate Communication of Air Peace, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo.

The notice posted on the official X handle of the airline @flyairpeace, reads: “Due to the ongoing NiMET strike and the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike Is over.

“Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds.”

Union members yesterday shut down the weather centres at the Nigerian airports and withdrew all meteorological services as workers began an indefinite strike action over their welfare.

…Airline alerts passengers of flight delays, cancellations

…Minister to meet union over agitation

Staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Wednesday commenced industrial action over unresolved issues between it and the management.

The union shut weather offices at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Enugu International Airports.

Air Peace Airlines also issued a notice of impending flight disruption, delay, and cancellation across its network due to the industrial action embarked upon by the union.

The union is demanding salary relativity, continuous staff training, and a peculiar allowance, amongst other issues.

They were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and chanting, “No weather, no flight, fly at your own risk”.

The union vowed to continue the strike until its demands are met.

Speaking on why they embarked on the industrial action, the Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Ambore Samson, said: “We are here today because we have issues on our welfare. Going by ICAO standards, whenever there is a strike by NiMet, flights are not expected to take off or land because they need meteorological information from NiMet, so, for any flight that is taking off, it’s doing that at its own risk and also operating below the international standard. I’m saying this for the travellers so that they will be aware of the risks that they are taking. Passengers should know that flight operations will be interrupted whenever NiMet embarks on a strike.

“The strike is because we have lingering welfare issues and a poor salary structure. Our salary is poor to the extent that a corp member earns more than a graduate in NiMet, and our people can no longer cope, considering the realities of life.

“Staff are also demanding better training packages because meteorology is a pure science, and science is dynamic. So, you cannot live with archaic knowledge and still fit into the current realities of meteorology. So, we need to be trained to be updated.”

On the duration of the strike, Samson said: “This strike is indefinite because we represent the staff, and they said their demands must be met before they come back to their duty posts”.

Also speaking, an Assistant Chief Meteorologist at the Department of Weather Forecasting Services at NiMet, Ibiam Aderonke, said: “We are asking for salary relativity. We have many parastatals under the Ministry of Aviation, and we are one of the core and one of the most important service providers for the Ministry of Aviation. We provide weather services for the entire country in the airport environment for takeoff and landing. We give them a lot of required reports that are necessary for the aircraft to land.

Read Also: NiMet management seeks dialogue with union over threat to embark on strike 

“We also provide public weather services to the country. We help the country to know when we have high-impact weather; we are also responsible in the agency for the preparation of the seasonal climate prediction for the entire country, which serves as a policy guide for policymakers, especially in terms of food supply and sufficiency for the country. So, you can see that everywhere you go, the weather is important, so long as you can breathe in air, then you must appreciate the services that NiMet renders.

“It is appalling that at this point, this kind of agency that provides this kind of critical and essential service, the workers are denied every right and emolument that has been given to their partners in other agencies, in the aviation industry, and, in fact, in the entire federal civil service. This is, if not the only one, but one of the few agencies where you have a level four officer who is not even collecting the minimum wage of 2019. They are taking home N28,000, and we are saying that this is not enough.

The National Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Uzor Oluchi, said the union may shut down operations across the country if their demands are not met.

He said: “If this lingers till tomorrow, we will shut down the whole airline; no flight will operate because we are not going to give any weather information about the flight, and if you want to fly, you fly at your own risk. We have chased our workers from the weather offices in our offices in Kano, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Abuja, the offices are sealed. Lagos office is conducting skeletal operations, but from now till tomorrow, we will close everywhere.”

The Secretary of the NiMet branch of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPTRE), Paul Ogohi, called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to intervene.

“We want the minister and the President to come to our aid. We know our president has promised that we will see changes, but we want those changes to be extended to us in NiMet because we are suffering.”

Reacting to the union’s action, the senior management of NiMet, who expressed disappointment over the action of the union, said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has scheduled a meeting with all parties.

The Management staff, who pleaded anonymity, said: “Management is disappointed with the hardline taken by the unions when some of the issues in dispute have been resolved, and others are in various stages of resolution. In a response given by management when the unions served it a strike notice, management stated all the issues and their status.

“It is surprising that the unions resorted to strike action because the unions recently wrote and thanked management for its labour-friendly policies. Makes you wonder if there are other motives or if there are people bent on sabotaging management.

“Management is not relenting in reaching an amicable resolution with the unions so that normal services will be restored. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who has been supportive, has scheduled a meeting with all the parties on Thursday, 24th of April, 2025. We are hopeful that the unions will listen to reason. No one bites off his nose to spite his face”.

The Management of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has called for dialogue over threat of industrial action by three unions: National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP).

The management, while referring to the agreement of 28th January 2025, noted that most of the issues raised by the unions were issues that needed the interventions of other government agencies.

The Director of Human Resource Management & Administration, Nasiru Sani, in his response to the union on behalf of the Director General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, noted that management has related with and, in most cases, is awaiting responses or approvals.

On the negotiated conditions of service, NiMet leadership while denying any foul play, stated that the document has been forwarded to the Ministry for processing.

On the peculiar allowance, the management noted that according to the Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission, NiMet is not entitled to peculiar allowance because they just approved other allowances for it. 

The newly approved allowances are; professional allowance, proficiency allowance, hazard allowance, and wardrobe allowance.

On the continuous training of staff, contrary to the Union’s position, the management stated that staff training has been ongoing smoothly, adding that approval has been secured for the training of other salary grade levels that are already in queue awaiting to take their turn.

The management, while responding to the union, stated that it has attempted to address all issues raised and even more. 

Read Also: Kaduna, Borno, Kano, ten others prone to meningitis- NiMet

Some of the issues addressed according to the management include; “For instance, as regards the subsistence benefits, which was an idea of the Director-General towards ameliorating staff conditions, it has not only been captured in the proposed reviewed conditions of service but management has gone ahead to secure the Minister’s approval to effect payment. What is presently delaying the Subsistence Benefit’s payment is the confirmation to the Permanent Secretary that the Agency can pay, and this had already been communicated to the Ministry as of Wednesday, 9th April 2025.

“Again, to express ever good intentions of Management, even with the paucity of funds being experienced in the Agency, the Director-General approved and paid to all Staff, the Conditions of Service Allowance for the quarter just last week.

“Worth mentioning, is the fact that, towards the implementation and facilitation of all these commitments, management has pursued and secured approval from the Minister for an upward review of the Cost Recovery (IGR) that the Agency receives from NAMA, NCAA, and FAAN to enable the Agency to improve the welfare of the entire staff.

“Following the recent re-emergence of the resumption of

the threat of Industrial Action, Management always is open to

dialogue to further emphasise perceived grey areas as it intends to always uphold highly harmonious working relationships. In view of this, Management extends its invitation to you once again with a view to dialogue.”

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has alerted Nigerians to the outbreak of meningitis in 13 states of the country.

The 13 states prone to meningitis according to the agency are; Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Kaduna and Borno.

The agency in its meningitis and heat stress watch released yesterday, stated that some parts of the country would also experience heat stress.

For meningitis, the agency stated: “There is an increased chance of outbreak of Meningococcal meningitis over the country.

This prospect is heightened with the fresh dust haze that came into the country early hours of 11th of April. Areas most prone to the outbreak includes Parts of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Kaduna and Borno states.”

The agency, while stating that the most vulnerable groups include infants, young children, the aged, and those with weak immune systems, advised them to get vaccinated against meningitis, practice good hygiene by washing hands regularly and avoid close contact with those affected.

Read Also: NiMet predicts hot weather conditions this month

It called on relevant bodies responsible for public health to take note of the alert and take necessary preventive actions.

On the heat stress, it noted that the discomfort levels are expected to increase for 12th of April.

 “This is coming after three consecutive days of rainfall over the country. Maximum temperatures over the north are within 40 ℃ . Clear skies and moisture will aid this heat and attendant discomfort.

“Discomfort levels should be highest over parts of Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue states including the Federal Capital Territory.”

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted hot weather conditions across the country in April.

The Agency said the central and northern states are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, while the south will also experience heat stress.

NiMet also predicted that temperatures will be warmer than average along the coast and slightly above normal in the central and northern states.

The temperature outlook for the north is 38°C – 42°C, central, 36°C – 40°C, and South, 32°C – 36°C.

The Agency, in its April Weather Outlook, stated: “Expect hot weather conditions across the country, with significant thermal discomfort affecting most states.

Read Also: NiMet: Funding, security, technology critical to bridge early warning gaps

“The central and northern states are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, while the south will also experience heat stress.

NiMet also highlighted that there is an increased malaria risk in the south and parts of Kwara, Kogi, and Benue due to higher mosquito activity.

Aside the malaria, it predicted the outbreak of meningitis in the extreme north, adding that the condition of the region is favourable for outbreaks.

The Agency added that there is likelihood of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heatstroke in central & northern regions.

It advised Nigerians to stay safe by staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and use mosquito nets and repellents.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted hot weather conditions across the country in April.

The agency said the central and northern states are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and  heatstroke while the south will also experience heat stress.

NiMet also predicted that temperatures will be warmer than average along the coast and slightly above normal in the central and northern States.

The temperature outlook for the north is 38°C – 42°C, central 36°C – 40°C and South 32°C – 36°C.
The agency, in its April Weather Outlook, stated: “Expect hot weather conditions across the country, with significant thermal discomfort affecting most states.

“The central and northern states are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, while the south will also experience heat stress,” it stated. 

The agency also highlighted that there is an increased malaria risk in the south and parts of Kwara, Kogi, and Benue due to higher mosquito activity.

Aside the malaria, it predicted the outbreak of meningitis in the extreme north, adding that the condition of the region is favourable for outbreaks.

It added that there is likelihood of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heatstroke in central & northern regions.

The agency advised Nigerians to stay safe by staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and use of mosquito nets and repellents.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has said adequate funding, security and access to latest technology are key to bridge the gaps in early warning system.

The Director General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, at the 2025 World Meteorological Day celebration in Abuja, said closing early warning gaps requires collaboration, coordination and cooperation between relevant stakeholders.

Speaking during the celebration with the theme, “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together,” Anosike said investing in early warning systems saves lives and livelihood, generates ten times return on investment and strengthens economies. 

He said: “Unprecedented weather extremes in the past few years are surfacing early warning gaps such as inadequate finance and access to latest technologies, uncoordinated dissemination efforts, and insecurity.

“Maintainability of early warning systems must be proactively addressed. We must recognize that closing the early warning gap requires all, 

government alone cannot do it”.

He added that modernised hydrometeorological infrastructure is key to enhancing early warning and a solid step towards reducing the early warning gaps.  

He called on all stakeholders in the weather and climate service value chain to work together to ensure that no one is left behind in accessing life-saving weather and climate information. 

The Representative of the World Meteorological Organization, Bernard Gomez, said unrestricted exchange of weather-related data, products, and services is critical to national security and to climate-sensitive sectors.

He said weather-related data have added value to the global economy in billions of dollars, and billions saved by avoiding economic losses from weather, climate, and water-related hazards. 

He also said hundreds of thousands of lives have also been saved through data.

He hinted that the WMO is working to ensure that Nigeria hosts a regional wireless centre that specializes in data issues and 
numerical weather prediction centre of 

excellence.

He said the centres would assist in assembling data for early warning signs.

He said: “WMO’s top overriding priority is to ensure that early warning systems protect everyone, everywhere on the planet. On a global scale, every $ 1 invested in early warnings is estimated to result in about $ 9 in net economic benefits”.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued an alert of the outbreak of meningitis in most parts of the country.

The bulletin issued by the agency stated that there is high risk of meningitis outbreak due to current atmospheric conditions, especially in northern Nigeria.

The states at high risk of the outbreak are; Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi and Yobe States.”

The alert issued by the agency reads: “The observed atmospheric conditions are currently favourable for meningitis, mainly across the northern part of the country. The meningococcal meningitis remains the most prevalent strain within the meningitis belt.”

Read Also: NiMet alerts l9 states to impending heat stress

The agency noted that the most vulnerable groups include the infants, young children, the elderly, those with weak immune system and people with head injuries.

Symptoms according to NiMet include; fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, light sensitivity, and seizures.

Safety protocols highlighted by NiMet are: “Getting vaccinated against meningitis, practice good hygiene by washing hands, and regularly avoiding close contact with those infected”.

The agency urged relevant agencies responsible for public health to take note and take preventive actions.