Aviation minister Festus Keyamo has warned that West Africa and the entire African continent are at risk of severe climate-related disasters.

Mr Keyamo raised the alarm while declaring open a regional workshop of ECOWAS directors of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, climate-induced disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, with vulnerable communities often bearing most of the impacts.

He said the challenges had far-reaching implications for food security, water availability, public health, transportation, energy systems, livelihoods, national security and overall socio-economic stability.

“Now, more than ever in recorded history, West Africa is faced with various weather and climate-related threats.

“These include erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, heavy thunderstorms, destructive windstorms, intense flooding, increasing temperatures and rising sea levels,” stated the aviation minister.

Mr Keyamo said the World Meteorological Organisation 2023 State of the Climate Report states that climate-related hazards cause African countries to lose two to five per cent of their gross domestic product annually.

According to him, the report says many West African countries divert up to nine per cent of their budgets to respond to climate extremes, as rainfall deficits led to localised shortfalls in agricultural production in 2023.

The minister explained that NiMet’s mandate “is to provide weather, climate, and hydrometeorological information for the safety of lives and property, and socio-economic development across all sectors”.

He said NiMet, whose contributions to the development and practice of meteorology in the ECOWAS region covered a wide range of areas, had evolved into a modern, science-driven agency.

Mr Keyamo said NiMet had become Nigeria’s authoritative source of meteorological information and a trusted partner and leader in West Africa and beyond.

He noted that the agency’s pioneering work on seasonal climate prediction had become a template for other regional meteorological services.

Mr Keyamo said that Nigeria was fully committed to supporting not only NiMet but also the wider ECOWAS community in its shared quest to build a climate-smart, weather-ready West African region.

Speaking earlier, ECOWAS commissioner for economic affairs and agriculture, Massandje Toure-Litse, noted that West Africa was one of the most vulnerable regions to the impacts of climate change.

She, however, said the region was one of the least equipped with the data, infrastructure, and systems required for effective climate resilience.

“Recent data from the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN) showed that between 2021 and 2024, the region experienced a 47 per cent increase in flood-related incidents, affecting over five million people, with damages estimated at over $1.3 billion,” she noted.

(NAN)