By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted a delayed start to the rainfall in the northern and central states of the country for the 2025 rainy season.
NiMet indicated that although there will be an early onset of rainfall in the southern states, specifically Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, and certain areas of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi, the northern and central areas, including Plateau and parts of Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kwara is expected to experience a delayed rainy season.
During the annual seasonal climate prediction briefing, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, emphasized that pre-onset rainfall activities should not be mistaken for the actual beginning of the rainy season, as has been the case in previous years.
The NiMet forecast revealed that an earlier-than-average end to the rainy season is expected in parts of Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti, and Ondo states.
Conversely, a delayed end to the season is anticipated in parts of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Lagos, Kwara, Taraba, Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Enugu states.
Overall, the length of the rainy season in 2025 is expected to be largely normal across the country
However, Borno and parts of Yobe may experience a shorter duration, while Lagos and Nasarawa are likely to see a longer-than-usual rainy season.
The NiMet prediction also showed that “during the April-May-June (AMJ) season, there is a likelihood of a severe dry spell of above 15 days after the establishment of rainfall in Oyo state; Moderate dry spell that may last up to 15 days is likely to occur in Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states in the south. However, for the northern states, a severe dry spell that may last up to 21 days is predicted for the June-July-August (JJA) season of 2025.