ON-THE-JOB TRAINING HELD FOR THE LIBERIA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE AND STAKEHOLDERS ON IMPACT-BASED FORECASTING
The Liberia Meteorological Service (LMS), in collaboration with the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has successfully completed a one-week On-the-Job Training (OJT) on Impact-Based Early Warning Products. The training, funded by the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, was conducted from December 8 to December 13, 2025, and brought together meteorologists and technicians from several institutions, including the Liberia Meteorological Service (LMS), the Ministry of Transport, the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), and the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA).
During the opening session, NiMet Team Lead, Mr. Oluwaseun Wilfred Idowu encouraged participants to remain fully engaged in the training, describing it as a critical milestone for the Liberia Meteorological Service. He noted that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the wider region are looking forward to Liberia’s active participation in forecasting and the delivery of quality meteorological services to both Liberians and the international community.
The Director of the Liberia Meteorological Service, Mr. Albert M. Sherman, welcomed the NiMet experts and urged participants to take the training seriously, emphasizing its importance in strengthening national capacity for the provision of meteorological services to the public and beyond. He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity afforded to LMS to once again demonstrate its technical strength and commitment to excellence.
The training focused largely on Impact-Based Forecasting, as well as the development of agrometeorological, climate, and health bulletins. Participants received hands-on training in the use of various software tools and techniques required to generate accurate and reliable weather forecasts for Liberia.
This training forms part of the implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative under Pillar 2 which supports the WMO vision of leaving no one behind through the delivery of timely, people-centered, and actionable early warnings. The initiative aims to protect lives and livelihoods from weather- and climate-related hazards by strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems, anticipatory action, and resilience.
At the close of the training, participants expressed appreciation to the NiMet experts for the valuable knowledge and practical skills gained, noting that the training would significantly enhance operational forecasting and service delivery at the Liberia Meteorological Service.
Mr. Sherman extended gratitude to NiMet and WMO for their continued commitment to building technical capacity in Liberia. He stressed that the skills acquired would greatly improve service delivery and reaffirmed LMS’s dedication to providing timely and reliable meteorological services to the public. He called for unity and commitment, noting that collective effort is key to strengthening Liberia’s presence in the global meteorological community.
Mr. Idowu, on behalf of NiMet and WMO, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting LMS in capacity development and encouraged participants to apply the skills acquired to improve public service delivery.
Stakeholders’ Engagement
As part of the training activities, the Ministry of Transport and the Liberia Meteorological Service, in collaboration with NiMet, conducted a stakeholders’ engagement on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia. During the engagement, LMS presented a national weather outlook bulletin and showcased its official website, highlighting the range of meteorological services currently provided to the public in Liberia. These services include seasonal and sub-seasonal forecasts, daily weather outlooks, agrometeorological bulletins, and climate and health bulletins.
Speaking at the event, the Assistant Minister for Administration, Hon. James K. Momo, assured the public of the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the Liberia Meteorological Service in delivering timely and reliable meteorological information. He emphasized the government’s determination to ensure that early warnings and alerts on meteorological hazards are communicated effectively to the public.
A representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) commended LMS for its ongoing service to the Liberian public and pledged continued collaboration to further strengthen meteorological services across the country.