UNDP’s continental-scale market assessment explores market forces, imperatives, trends and stakeholder needs in the creation of new revenue-generating opportunities for Africa’s National HydroMeteorological Services (NHMS). The study indicates an increase in the availability and sophistication of weather information, strong demand from private and public customers across a wide range of economic sectors, including agriculture, mining, forestry, construction, aviation, tourism, energy and planning, and a highly competitive business environment, where new ventures will be strongly dependent on highly specialized skills in product development and marketing.

1. United Nations Development Programme
UNDP Market Assessment
NHMSs should collaborate
rather than compete with
private weather
companies.
NHMSs should embark on a
phased transition to derive
benefits from the national
commercial weather
markets.
NHMSs face considerable
risk of being marginal-
ized if they do not actively
promote the growth of the
market by providing con-
sistently accurate primary
data to the private sector.
UNDP Market Assessment
Revenue-Generating Opportunities
Through Tailored Weather
Information Products
The availability, diversity, sophistication and use of weather infor-
mation is increasing rapidly within the public and private sectors
globally. International private weather companies are marketing
tailored weather information products intensively and have gener-
ated considerable demand from private as well as government
customers across a wide range of economic sectors. The demand
for these tailored services is also growing as a result of the wide-
spread negative impacts of climate change across these sectors. Al-
though business opportunities abound, the commercial viability of
new ventures in this intensely competitive market will be strongly
dependent on highly specialized skills in product development and
marketing, including the design of weather information products
tailored to meet the diverse needs of various sectors.
OVERVIEW OF MARKET
ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
MAIN
CONCLUSIONS
UNDP’s continental-scale market assessment explores market
forces, imperatives, trends and stakeholder needs in the creation of
new revenue-generating opportunities for Africa’s National Hydro-
Meteorological Services (NHMS). The study indicates an increase in
the availability and sophistication of weather information, strong
demand from private and public customers across a wide range of
economic sectors, including agriculture, mining, forestry,
construction, aviation, tourism, energy and planning, and a highly
competitive business environment, where new ventures will be
strongly dependent on highly specialized skills in product
development and marketing.
United Nations Development Programme
Full report published March 2016 available at http://www.adaptation-
undp.org/resources/knowledge-products/climate-and-weather-services-
market-assessment-revenue-generating

2. United Nations Development Programme
UNDP Market Assessment
• Raise awareness of socio-
economic benefits
• Engage treasury
• Revise regulations to promote
partnerships and data sharing
• Define roles of private
sector versus NHMS
• Expand ground observation
network (potentially on cell
phone towers)
• Use service providers to bridge
the gap (business develop-
ment, sales & marketing)
• Develop in-house expertise
• Identify suitable entry points
through in-depth national
market assessments
UNDP Market Assessment
The Challenge
NHMS VIRTUOUS CYCLE
RECOMMENDED
NEXT STEPS
Many African NHMS remain trapped in a non-virtuous cycle. Lack of
internal capacity, poor planning for the maintenance, service and man-
agement of weather and climate monitoring systems, poor integration
between disparate donor-supported investments in the climate and
weather services space, increased competition from new private sector
players, a continued focus on non-bespoke technological solutions
that work well in the developed world but are not well suited for the
unique rigors of deployment in sub-Saharan Africa, and any number of
regional and local challenges perpetuate this cycle.
Despite the potential contribution of NHMSs their true value is rarely
quantified in developing nations. In particular, the role that these
agencies play in the management of meteorological and hydrological
hazards is undervalued. Similarly, there is limited awareness of the
economic benefits associated with integrating accurate and timely
climate and weather information into decision-making processes
in climate-vulnerable sectors – such as agriculture and energy – to
increase productivity and avoid losses.
United Nations Development Programme
CONTACT: Bonizella Biagini. Bonizella.biagini@undp.org