The University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University, has strengthened its partnership with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency through a high level courtesy visit focused on advancing the Smart Climate Project and broadening academic and research collaboration between both institutions.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, led the university's management team to the agency's headquarters, where he met with NiMet's Director General, Prof. Charles Anosike. Fawehinmi said the visit was undertaken on behalf of the Governing Council under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso and was aimed at deepening discussions on areas of mutual interest.

Key areas covered during the meeting included joint research initiatives, remote sensors, GIS tools, weather station deployment, climate data utilisation, academic industry linkage, and knowledge exchange between both institutions.

Anosike congratulated Fawehinmi on his appointment as substantive Vice Chancellor and described the university as NiMet's closest academic partner, noting that more than 60 per cent of NiMet interns are drawn from the institution. He also recalled the agency's previous support in developing the university's weather station.

The NiMet chief urged universities hosting agency supported weather stations to maintain them in functional condition to sustain their value for teaching, research, and climate services. He pledged to establish an additional weather station at the university to further support its academic and research activities.

Both institutions agreed that the Smart Climate Project should prioritise making climate information more accessible and practical for students, researchers, farmers, planners and local communities. A joint technical team drawn from NiMet and the university was constituted to define collaboration priorities and guide the implementation of agreed programmes.