Professional Examination of Climate Information Use in Disaster Risk Reduction Planning in Akwa Ibom State

Climate information represents an essential input to evidence-based disaster risk reduction planning, yet barriers to its operational use by state-level emergency management professionals remain poorly understood in Nigeria's South South geopolitical zone. This study examines how climate and meteorological information is accessed, interpreted, and applied within the disaster risk reduction planning processes of Akwa Ibom State. A qualitative professional assessment methodology combining semi-structured interviews with 30 officials from the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency, NiMet Uyo, and the Ministry of Environment was applied. Document review of the state's current disaster risk reduction plan and associated climate risk annexes assessed the extent to which available climate data informs strategic priorities and resource allocation decisions. Findings reveal that while climate-related hazards are identified in all reviewed planning documents, quantitative climate data are cited in only 22 percent of risk assessment sections. NiMet Uyo's seasonal climate outlook is consulted by only three of the 30 interviewed officials, with the primary barrier being lack of institutional protocols requiring climate information review in planning processes. A professional practice model integrating NiMet advisory review into standard Akwa Ibom SEMA planning cycles is developed as a study output. Recommendations include formalization of a climate-disaster risk reduction liaison role within the agency and quarterly joint briefings with NiMet Uyo. Keywords: climate information, disaster risk reduction, Akwa Ibom, emergency management, professional practice.