…With New ISO Acquisitions, Matazu Says NIMET is Evolving from QMS to SMS
By Hillary Asemota
Following detailed and rigorous quality management audit, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has acquired the recertification of the International Standard Organization ISO 9001: 2015 and the International Standard Organization ISO 29990: 2010 for the provision of aeronautical meteorological services and capacity building at it’s Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Lagos and MBMIST in Katsina respectively.
The Director General, Prof. Mansur Matazu, has excitedly revealed that his agency is exposing it’s operations to quality management systems (QMS) and evolving to Safety Management Systems (SMS) across all it’s operations in the country and beyond the shores of Nigeria.
Matazu, made the disclosure earlier today in his office in Abuja.
Matazu, explained “We took the challenge as far back as 2013 and we have been maintaining this 3 year certificate and we just acquired recertification of ISO 9001:2015 for aeronautical meteorological services in the six major international airports in the country.
“We are working hard to extend it to 10 more airports across the country.”
On recertification for capacity training, the DG acknowledged that the agency has acquired another recertification for ISO 29990:2010 for training.
He said: “Remember NiMet runs two training institutes like polytechnics, one in Lagos the RTC, which is a World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) accredited training centre and we also have the Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology (MBMIST), which is accredited by the National Board for Technical Education ( NBTE) as a training centre in Katsina and offers Diploma.
“So we have acquired ISO 29990:2010 for training on all aspects of meteorology, applied meteorology including climate change.”
NiMet is the first met service on the African continent to have acquired this certification.
Presently the agency is serving as auditor for some African countries like Malawi, and Gambia.
It is of note that NiMet has also been approached by Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to assist and guide them to acquire this certification.
According to Matazu, the implication of this recertification is like the stamp of standardization of service delivery by an international organisation and gives a guarantee on the precision and efficiency of NiMe’s products and services.
Matazu, revealed that his agency is exposing it’s operations to quality management systems (QMS) and even transforming to Safety Management Systems (SMS) across all it’s operations in the country.
He assured that NiMet is striving to do more and is open to assist other MDAs of government to pass through this process.
