The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday 5th August 2025 convened a Sectoral Coordination Meeting as part of its response strategy for the 2025 flood season.
The meeting was held at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja, and brought together key stakeholders from relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as United Nations partners, to strengthen joint planning and ensure an effective national flood response.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, was represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Dr. Onimode Abdullahi Bandele, who declared the meeting open.
In her remarks, the DG emphasized the urgency of early action in view of forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which project heightened flood risks across several states during the season.
She noted that the convening of the meeting was aimed at achieving a comprehensive and inclusive response to support communities at risk, stressing that disaster response is a complex task that no single agency can manage alone.
“The primary goal of this meeting is to reinforce sectoral coordination at both national and subnational levels, harmonize contingency plans, and align resources for a timely, efficient, and inclusive humanitarian response,” she stated.
The Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), Ms. Wagami Lydia Madu, underscored the importance of each sector lead developing detailed work plans to ensure coordinated preparedness and collective response actions.
Participants at the meeting included representatives from critical stakeholder organizations such as the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Police Force (NPF), National Human Rights Commission, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
Discussions also covered the sectoral reporting template and the current status of floods across the country.
5th August, 2025
