When flood alerts were issued in early 2025, Nigerians braced for another round of devastation and the familiar delays in emergency response. However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), under the leadership of its Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, responded with unprecedented speed. Relief materials were dispatched to vulnerable communities even before floodwaters peaked, and operational teams worked in close coordination with state and local authorities.
For an agency once percieved as slow with fragmented Relief interventions, this development marked a significant shift. Mrs. Umar has introduced a leadership model anchored on foresight, preparedness, and empathy. Her emphasis on simulation exercises, early warning mechanisms, and grassroots sensitization campaigns ensured that NEMA was adequately positioned ahead of the 2025 floods.
The results were evident in the testimonies of those affected. Displaced families recounted how food items, blankets, and medical supplies reached them in record time. Local government officials equally commended the level of collaboration between NEMA, state governments, and community-based volunteers, describing it as the most coordinated flood response in recent years.
Although the 2025 floods were devastating—resulting in loss of lives, destruction of farmlands, and the displacement of thousands—NEMA’s proactive approach under Mrs. Umar demonstrated that disasters need not be compounded by institutional failure. Instead, her leadership highlighted the value of preparedness, rapid intervention, and compassion in mitigating the impact of natural hazards.
As climate change continues to intensify the frequency and severity of disasters, the challenges confronting emergency management in Nigeria will undoubtedly grow. Nevertheless, the 2025 response has established a new benchmark. Mrs. Zubaida Umar has emerged as a steady hand in national disaster management, repositioning NEMA as a proactive and dependable guardian of vulnerable communities.
By Abdulkadir Ibrahim
Press Unit, NEMA
