Nigeria is targeting $500 million in climate financing to support climate-resilient infrastructure and adaptation projects, while the Federal Government has approved N83.2 billion for anticipatory interventions to mitigate flooding and other climate-related emergencies across the country.
The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this at the 2026 annual meeting of the Alliance for Hydrometeorological Development, hosted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in Lagos.
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Keyamo said the Federal Government was developing mechanisms to mobilise domestic and international resources for climate-related investments, including the Nigerian Climate Investment Platform, which is targeting $500 million to finance climate-resilient infrastructure, adaptation and other priority areas.
He also disclosed that the National Economic Council approved N83.2 billion in June 2026 for interventions by the anticipatory action task force to reduce the anticipated impact of flooding and other climate-related emergencies nationwide.
The minister said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to anticipate weather-related disasters, protect lives and property, and reduce the economic losses associated with extreme weather events.
““These developments are significant, as climate finance must ultimately translate into projects that address real development challenges,” he said.
Keyamo stressed the need to strengthen the connection between climate science, government policies and investment decisions, noting that institutions responsible for weather forecasting must be involved in identifying risks and developing solutions to climate-related challenges.
He said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency should play a central role in defining climate risks, identifying adaptation needs and developing technically credible investment proposals to protect the economy against climate-related threats.
The minister added that the accreditation of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority as a direct access entity to the Green Climate Fund was another step towards improving Nigeria’s capacity to access and deploy international climate finance.
He said the Development Bank of Nigeria was also strengthening its institutional capacity to access climate financing opportunities, while the Federal Government was exploring green bonds, carbon market mechanisms and other innovative financing instruments.
According to him, the government has approved a national carbon market framework and the operationalisation of the Climate Change Fund to support climate-related investments.
Keyamo called for increased investment in weather observation systems, forecasting infrastructure and early warning services, describing them as cost-effective measures for preventing disasters and protecting economic assets.
““We believe that investing in observation, forecasting and early warning infrastructure is one of the most cost-effective climate adaptation investments,” he said.
He noted that reliable weather and climate information was critical to several sectors, including aviation, agriculture, energy, telecommunications and insurance, adding that the consequences of inadequate forecasting could extend beyond flight disruptions to loss of lives and destruction of property.
““For aviation and agriculture, I think it’s fifty-fifty, so I disagree with my sister that it’s agriculture. Without NiMet, we wouldn’t even be safe. We can’t fly safely without its services. That’s what leads to flight delays, cancellations and everything else. For us in aviation, NiMet’s services are a matter of life and death,” he said.
The minister urged greater private sector participation in the development and financing of weather, water and climate services, arguing that government alone could not provide the funding and technology required to strengthen the entire ecosystem.
He identified opportunities for private investment in satellite services, data analytics, financial services, agriculture, aviation, insurance, energy and telecommunications.
According to him, private sector participation would bring not only capital but also innovation, technology, distribution networks and business expertise to improve service delivery.
Keyamo said the objectives of the Alliance for Hydrometeorological Development aligned with Nigeria’s national development priorities, particularly its drive to improve economic productivity, strengthen resilience and protect infrastructure against climate risks.
He described weather, water and climate services as critical national development infrastructure, stressing that sustained investment in the sector was necessary to support informed decision-making and safeguard development gains.
The minister said the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, recognised NiMet’s services as public goods and strategic national assets, adding that strengthening the agency’s institutional, technical and operational capacity remained a priority.
He also disclosed that the government had improved the welfare package of NiMet employees, explaining that staff motivation was essential to efficient service delivery.
“The Federal Government has improved the welfare package of the Agency, recognising staff motivation as a critical influence of efficient service delivery,” he said.
Keyamo commended NiMet’s digital transformation, institutional strengthening and innovation under its Director-General, Professor Charles Anosike, noting that the agency’s 2026–2030 strategic plan provided a framework for improving service delivery and its contribution to national development.
He further called for a shift from reactive disaster management to anticipatory action, arguing that advances in forecasting now offered governments opportunities to reduce the severity of disasters before they occurred.
He cited the establishment of the anticipatory action task force on floods in 2025 as an important step towards improving national preparedness, with NiMet’s seasonal climate predictions contributing to planning and early interventions.
The minister also highlighted the economic benefits of investing in early warning systems, citing findings that every dollar invested in early warning and climate intelligence could generate significant savings by reducing disaster-related losses.
“Early warnings are not just some data within some papers. They are not some data; they are real-life situations that can claim billions and billions of dollars of investment if we don’t heed those warnings,” he said.
He warned that failure to act on early warnings could result in extensive destruction of lives and property, urging governments, development partners, financial institutions and private investors to strengthen collaboration in financing climate adaptation measures.
The 2026 annual meeting of the Alliance for Hydrometeorological Development, hosted by NiMet, brought together representatives of the World Meteorological Organization, development and climate finance institutions, national meteorological and hydrological services, research institutions and private sector stakeholders to discuss partnerships, innovation and sustainable investment in weather, water and climate services.
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