The Federal Government has approved a reviewed Scheme of Service for the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), a development expected to improve career progression, address gaps in staff structure and align the agency’s workforce with current public service standards.
The approval was communicated in a letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike. The document, dated July 9, followed a comprehensive review conducted under the Federal Government’s approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for reviewing Schemes of Service.
According to the letter, the review was undertaken after consultations and field assessments by relevant government officials to ensure that NiMet’s personnel framework reflects the agency’s specialised responsibilities and evolving role in the Federal Public Service.
The revised Scheme of Service introduces a clearer career structure covering the Junior, Intermediate and Professional/Officer cadres while retaining the agency’s specialised professional positions. It also aligns NiMet’s operational framework with the approved Schemes of Service applicable across the Federal Public Service.
The approval directs the agency to implement the revised framework in accordance with existing Public Service Rules, establishment circulars and other regulations governing appointments, promotions, career progression, conversions and personnel administration.
The SGF’s letter stated:
“The review established, among others, the need to align the Agency’s Schemes of Service with current developments in the Federal Public Service, address identified deficiencies in some cadres, strengthen career progression opportunities for staff, and adequately reflect the specialised mandates and operational peculiarities of the Agency.”
It further noted:
“Consequently, the reviewed Schemes of Service have been approved to provide an appropriate career structure for the Agency, incorporating the Junior, Intermediate and Professional/Officer cadre categories in line with extant policies.”
The letter also clarified that officers in the Junior and Intermediate cadres will only advance beyond their terminal grade levels after obtaining the prescribed bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification through the approved conversion or upgrading process, subject to existing government rules and circulars.
The latest approval follows another major reform approved by the Federal Government in April, which introduced a new consolidated salary structure and an enhanced Condition of Service for NiMet employees, effective June 1, 2026. The measures are aimed at improving staff welfare, boosting morale and strengthening the agency’s capacity to deliver reliable weather and climate information to critical sectors such as aviation, agriculture, maritime operations and disaster management.
