The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) predicts that rainfall will be delayed in some parts of the country, particularly in the North Central states, in 2024.
Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, made the statement while presenting NiMet's 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The document also predicted a normal onset in the northern states, while Borno, Abia, and Akwa Ibom states are expected to have an early onset compared to their long-term averages.
Meanwhile, parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ogun, and Lagos states are expected to complete their seasons earlier than normal.
However, a late cessation is expected across the southern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Ekiti, and parts of Edo, Delta, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara, FCT, Niger, and Kaduna.
When compared to their long-term averages, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Kebbi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta, and Bayelsa states are expected to get less rainfall this year.
It also predicted that most parts of the country could experience a shorter length of season, while Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom are likely to experience a longer length of season when compared with their mean.
NiMet predicts that other parts of the country will experience normal to shorter seasons. The SCP 2024 document includes detailed predictions for temperature during the first five months of the year.
It also includes predictions for the dry spell, short dry season, malaria, and meningitis.
The predictions are accompanied by explicit details, with an emphasis on the socioeconomic implications of each projection.
