By Our Correspondent
Lagos, Oct. 3, ’25 (TNZ) Mrs. Zubaida Umar, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has advised states governments to embrace proactive strategies that build resilience, save lives, and reduce risks at the grassroots.
TheNewsZenith reports that Umar made the call at the inaugural National States Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Conference 2025, on Thursday in Lagos.
Our Correspondent learnt that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), in collaboration with NEMA, organised the conference.
The theme of the event is: “Strengthening Sub-National Emergency Management for a Resilient Nigeria”.
The gathering brought together emergency managers, policymakers, responders, and development partners from across the country.
Umar underscored the need to evolve emergency management in Nigeria from crisis-driven intervention 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.
”This is necessary in the face of disasters and emergencies,” TheNewsZenith quotes the DG as saying.
Highlighting Lagos as a model, Umar praised LASEMA’s pioneering innovations, from decentralised response units to technology-driven command systems.
She noted that every state must adapt similar approaches tailored to their vulnerabilities.
“Emergency management can no longer be reactive; it must be predictive, preventive, and participatory.
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”Our citizens should not see us only when disaster strikes, they should see us building safer communities every day,” she added.
Speaking to newsmen later, the NEMA boss emphasized that states must adopt risk reduction as a guiding principle.
“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. That is the purpose of this gathering; to ensure that we are all on the same page,” TheNewsZenith further quoted her as saying.
Umar cited recurring boat mishaps as an example, urging states to implement practical measures such as regulating boat operators and enforcing the use of life jackets as life-saving interventions.
Umar remarked that under her leadership, NEMA is strengthening early warning systems. It is also enhancing data, forecasting, and information management.
“We are equally strengthening grassroots capacity building for responders and volunteers, transparency and accountability in interventions.
She welcomed the establishment of the LASEMA Institute of Emergency and Disaster Management. ”It is a bold step in capacity development”.
“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.
TheNewsZenith reports that the conference, featuring technical workshops, simulation exercises, and strategy sessions designed to strengthen sub-national emergency preparedness, will end on Saturday. (TNZ)
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