NiMet, 3IS Sign MoU on AI-Powered Chatbot for Anticipatory Action
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and 3IS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on the ANTICIPA project, an initiative designed to use artificial intelligence to improve the delivery of climate information and early warnings to vulnerable communities.
The agreement was signed on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with NiMet Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Charles Anosike, signing on behalf of the Agency, while Hélène Pelisson signed for 3IS.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Prof. Anosike highlighted the growing role of emerging technologies in ensuring that weather and climate information reaches people at the last mile.
He said AI-driven solutions could contribute significantly to the global objective of Early Warning for All by making critical meteorological information more accessible to communities at risk from weather and climate-related hazards.
The ANTICIPA Project Manager, Pridon Japaridze, provided an overview of the initiative, which is currently being piloted in Sokoto State.
According to him, 3IS combines information provided by NiMet with advanced technology to generate actionable knowledge aimed at helping communities strengthen their resilience and improve livelihoods.
The Sokoto pilot features an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot capable of receiving NiMet forecasts and applying a decision-tree system to generate advisories for users.
The advisories are delivered as text or voice messages in users’ preferred language, with Hausa currently available for the Sokoto State pilot.
Prof. Anosike described the MoU as an important step in strengthening institutional cooperation around the project, noting that there is potential to expand the initiative to other states across Nigeria.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration between 3IS and NiMet’s artificial intelligence team on further research and development to enhance the sustainability of the project.
The MoU provides a formal framework for cooperation between both organisations, including coordination, knowledge exchange, implementation planning and engagement with relevant stakeholders in line with the terms of the agreement.
The signing is expected to pave the way for the next phase of the ANTICIPA project, with both organisations set to translate the commitments contained in the agreement into specific activities and measurable outcome.
