The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office (SOO), has participated in the validation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at strengthening and streamlining the coordination of humanitarian responses to sudden-onset emergencies across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States.
The one-day workshop, held in Sokoto on 14th August 2025, marked a significant step towards ensuring faster and more efficient disaster response in the region. It was organised by the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs of Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States, with technical support from UNICEF.
Speaking at the workshop, the Head of Operations, NEMA SOO, Mr. Aliyu Shehu Kafindangi, represented by the Head of Planning, Mr. Tukur Abubakar, commended UNICEF for its support. He urged participating organisations to demonstrate strong commitment to the implementation of the SOP to guarantee its smooth operation.
In his remarks, the Head of Field Office, UNICEF, Mr. Michael Juma, explained that the validation exercise consolidates the two-day workshops earlier held in each of the three states. He emphasised that the SOP will provide a reliable guide for timely and effective emergency response, noting that it is an offshoot of existing contingency plans already in place through NEMA, rather than a completely new framework.
Also contributing, UNICEF’s Emergency Specialist, Mr. Olayinka Afolabi, delivered a refresher lecture on humanitarian coordination and led the technical session for the SOP validation.
This engagement underscores the importance of inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding lives and ensuring swift humanitarian interventions across the region.
14th August 2025
