By Dele Ogbodo
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday stated that the country will experience delayed rainfall especially in North Central and some parts of the country in 2024 even as he added that Borno, Abia, and Akwa Ibom states are predicted to have an early onset when compared to their long-term averages.
Speaking at the unveiling of the 2024 Seasonal Rainfal Prediction (SRP), in Abuja, the Minister said the normal onset is likely to occur over the northern states, adding that Borno, Abia, and Akwa Ibom states are predicted to have an early onset when compared to their long-term averages.
He said: “An early end of the season is predicted for parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ogun, and Lagos states. However, a late cessation is predicted over the southern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Ekiti, and parts of Edo, Delta, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara, FCT, Niger, and Kaduna.
“The annual rainfall amount is predicted to be below normal over parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Kebbi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta and Bayelsa states when compared to their long term normal. However, other parts of the country are likely to observe normal to above-normal annual rainfall amounts.”
On temperature, he said: “In Nigeria, the temperature record for 2023 was just 0.1 degree Celsius behind 2021 which is the warmest year in Nigeria since 1981. The official confirmation of the current breaking of heat records serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for heightened global and local initiatives to address the escalating climate emergency.
“Therefore, the work done by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is invaluable, providing us with insights into upcoming weather patterns, extreme events, and long-term trends.”
According to him, most parts of the country are expected to experience a shorter length of season, however that Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa-Ibom are likely to experience a longer length of season when compared with their mean.
Normal to shorter length of season will likely occur in other parts of the country, Keyamo, said.
The SRP document, the Minister added also contains detailed prediction for temperature in the first five months of the year, predictions for the dry spell and little dry season, as well as prediction for Malaria and Meningitis.
These predictions are accompanied by explicit details, especially focusing on the socio-economic implications associated with each projection, he added.
He said: “As the highly anticipated 2024 SRP is released today, I strongly encourage all stakeholders to evaluate the predictions thoroughly and strategically, to build adaptive capacity and resilience against climate variability within your respective sectors.
“It is my desire that the content of the document enables policymakers to plan activities, allocate resources effectively, and protect our citizens from the adverse impacts of weather.
“Therefore, as we gather here today, we know the important role of accurate and timely climate predictions in shaping our preparedness and responses to ever-changing weather events.
“The information we are about to unveil today represents a roadmap for our communities, businesses, and policymakers to navigate the upcoming 2024 seasons. This is in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The Minister commended NiMet for their unwavering commitment to advancing our understanding of weather and climate patterns, explaiming that their dedication to research and innovation has continually empowered the Government at all levels to make proactive decisions that safeguard our environment and the well-being of every Nigerian.
On the implication of the prediction, he said as Minister, he fully understand the impacts of weather on the aviation industry, stressing that flight safety and efficient air transport operations are hugely dependent on accurate weather forecasts, advisories, and early warnings.
“Through continuous investments in meteorological weather stations, satellite data, and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), NiMet has continued to enhance aviation-specific weather services.
“The aviation industry looks forward to continued collaboration with NiMet and the meteorological community, to utilize weather information for planning flight operations, aircraft routing, and scheduling among other applications.” He said.
