By Damilola Abiola
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has urged Nigerian states to move beyond reactive disaster response and adopt proactive, preventive, and community-driven approaches that strengthen resilience and save lives.
Umar made the call in Lagos during the inaugural National States Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Conference 2025, hosted by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in collaboration with NEMA.
The conference, themed “Strengthening Sub-National Emergency Management for a Resilient Nigeria,” convened emergency managers, policymakers, responders, and development partners from across the country to explore strategies for improving disaster preparedness.
In her keynote address, Mrs Umar emphasised that emergency management in Nigeria must evolve from crisis intervention to risk reduction and resilience building.
“This gathering is not just another conference; it is a call to action. We bear a shared duty: to protect lives, safeguard property, and strengthen the resilience of our communities in the face of disasters and emergencies,” she said.
She lauded Lagos State for its forward-thinking innovations in emergency response, citing LASEMA’s decentralised response units and technology-driven command systems as models for other states to emulate.
“Emergency management can no longer be reactive. It must be predictive, preventive, and participatory. Our citizens should not see us only when disaster strikes; they should see us building safer communities every day,” Umar added.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, the NEMA boss reiterated that state emergency agencies must take ownership of disaster risk reduction at the grassroots level.
“We are encouraging State Emergency Management Agencies to take responsibility for disaster risk reduction. The whole world has shifted from being reactive to being proactive, and that is the purpose of this gathering: to ensure we are all on the same page,” she said.
Mrs Umar highlighted recurring boat mishaps as a pressing example, urging states to enforce safety regulations and promote the use of life jackets to prevent avoidable deaths.
Under her leadership, Umar noted that NEMA is focusing on:
- Strengthening early warning systems
- Enhancing data, forecasting, and information management
- Building grassroots capacity for responders and volunteers
- Promoting transparency and accountability in interventions
She also commended the establishment of the LASEMA Institute of Emergency and Disaster Management, describing it as a landmark initiative in capacity development.
“We already have about six departments in universities across the geopolitical zones. The LASEMA Institute is a welcome idea, and we will build on it as partners, just like we do with every other emergency management agency,” she affirmed.
Closing her address, Mrs Umar underscored that a nation’s strength lies not in avoiding disasters but in its readiness to face them.
“Together, we can build a Nigeria that is not only able to respond to emergencies but is also prepared, resilient, and confident in the face of any challenge,” she said.
The National SEMA Conference 2025 continues in Lagos until October 4, featuring technical workshops, simulation exercises, and strategy sessions focused on strengthening sub-national emergency preparedness and coordination.