LAGOS/Nigeria: The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has urged states across Nigeria to move away from reactive disaster responses and adopt proactive strategies that build resilience, save lives, and reduce risks at the grassroots.
Umar made the call in Lagos at the inaugural National States Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Conference 2025, hosted by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in collaboration with NEMA. Themed “Strengthening Sub-National Emergency Management for a Resilient Nigeria,” the gathering brought together emergency managers, policymakers, responders, and development partners from across the country.
In her keynote address, Umar emphasized that emergency management in Nigeria must evolve from crisis-driven interventions to predictive, preventive, and participatory action. “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.
Citing Lagos as a model, Umar commended LASEMA’s pioneering innovations, including decentralised response units and technology-driven command systems, while stressing that every state must adopt similar approaches suited to their peculiar vulnerabilities. “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,” she added.
Speaking to journalists at the conference, the NEMA boss urged states to take responsibility for disaster risk reduction, noting that “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 cited recurring boat mishaps as an example where states could intervene through stronger regulation of operators and strict enforcement of life jacket use.
Under her leadership, NEMA is prioritising strengthened early warning systems, improved data and forecasting, grassroots capacity building, and accountability in disaster response. She also hailed the establishment of the LASEMA Institute of Emergency and Disaster Management, describing it as a bold step in building capacity. “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 noted.
Umar concluded by stressing that the true measure of a nation is not in the inevitability of disasters but in its level of preparedness and resilience. “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 declared.
The National SEMA Conference 2025 continues in Lagos until October 4, featuring technical workshops, simulation exercises, and strategy sessions to strengthen sub-national emergency preparedness.
