Some workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have raised concerns over poor salaries, inadequate training, and unfavourable working conditions, describing their current situation as “a crisis” within the agency.
NiMet, responsible for providing weather and climate services across Nigeria, has been identified as the lowest-paying agency in the country’s aviation sector.
“A Grade Level 4, Step 2 staff (member) earns as little as ₦31,800, while a Grade Level 8, Step 2 staff takes home less than ₦100,000 monthly. Even senior officers at Grade Level 16 reportedly earn around ₦400,000, which is significantly lower than their counterparts in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), where salaries range between ₦1.2 million and ₦1.5 million,” a staff member told SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
According to the employees, many NiMet employees are forced to take loans to survive, as their meagre salaries cannot meet the rising cost of living.
Workers also lamented that the “CONIMET salary structure, used by NiMet, has remained unchanged for nearly two decades, making their earnings fall far behind the inflationary trends in Nigeria”.
The workers said, “Every federal government minimum wage adjustment—from the administrations of Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and now Bola Tinubu—has either been delayed or only partially implemented for NiMet staff.
“For instance, the Buhari-era minimum wage increase of 2019 was only implemented in 2023, with nine months’ arrears still unpaid. The ₦40,000 temporary wage award introduced by the Tinubu administration in response to current economic hardship is yet to reflect in NiMet workers’ salaries.”
“NiMet workers have not received several allowances approved by the federal government, including: 40% peculiar allowance for civil servants, 25%-35% salary increase, Transport allowance or staff buses, despite an agreement between management and labor unions and Lack of Basic Work Benefits,” some of the workers lamented.
The NiMet employees also decried the “poor condition of service (COS), which for years lacked any financial benefits”.
They said, “The current COS, implemented in January 2024, only provides a 7.5% salary allowance and a flat hazard allowance of ₦10,000 per month, which workers argue is grossly inadequate.
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“Unlike other agencies, NiMet workers do not receive: children’s education allowance, furniture allowance, wardrobe allowance, leave allowance, hardship allowance, acting allowance, training deficit and the struggles of aeromet staff.
“The Aeronautical Meteorology (Aeromet) Unit, which generates over 90% of NiMet’s revenue, has been hit hardest by management neglect. Aeromet staff, who provide critical weather forecasts for aviation safety, work 24/7 throughout the year, including public holidays and crises like COVID-19, without receiving extra compensation.
“Despite International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines requiring an 80% annual training rate, NiMet has not reached 6% in any year over the past decade. Many Aeromet staff attend only one training session in their entire careers, compared to other units like Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), Air Quality, and Applied Meteorological Services, which receive frequent training, including foreign courses.
“Many Aeromet workers report severe health issues, including high blood pressure and eye problems due to prolonged night shifts and constant exposure to harsh weather conditions. Additionally, many forecasting offices lack basic equipment, affecting the accuracy of NiMet’s weather predictions.
However, the workers are demanding an urgent review of their salaries, full implementation of all government-approved allowances, and a comprehensive overhaul of training programs, particularly for Aeromet staff.
They warn that the continued neglect of training and lack of modern forecasting equipment could severely impact aviation safety and Nigeria’s meteorological services.
With economic hardship worsening in Nigeria, the workers are urging the federal government and NiMet management to address their concerns before the situation escalates into a full-blown crisis.
— SaharaReporters
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