In the rhythmic cycle of nature, the rains arrive with both promise and peril. For communities across Nigeria, the rainy season brings life to the soil, replenishing water sources and sustaining livelihoods. Yet, it also threatens with floods, erosion, and environmental hazards. Understanding this delicate balance, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), under the leadership of its Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made early preparedness a top priority in 2024.
With a clear vision and a sense of urgency, NEMA set the agenda for proactive disaster management, ensuring that government agencies, stakeholders, and local communities were equipped with the right tools and knowledge before the first drops fell. This was not just about responding to emergencies but about preventing them—saving lives, protecting assets, and strengthening resilience in the face of climate-related threats.
Early Warning, Early Action
From the very start of 2024, NEMA intensified efforts to refine and expand its early warning systems. Collaborating with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the agency ensured that seasonal rainfall predictions and flood risk assessments were translated into actionable intelligence for all levels of governance.
Workshops and strategic briefings were conducted nationwide, targeting state emergency management agencies (SEMAs), local government authorities, and first responders. These sessions emphasized risk mapping, community-based preparedness, and response coordination, ensuring that potential disaster hotspots were identified well in advance.
Engagement and Collaboration: A United Front
Recognizing that disaster management is a shared responsibility, Mrs. Zubaida Umar spearheaded high-level engagements with government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and international partners. Under her leadership, NEMA expanded collaborations with stakeholders such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Red Cross, and civil society groups to align preparedness strategies with global best practices.
Engagements with local communities were just as crucial. NEMA rolled out awareness campaigns in vulnerable regions, using town hall meetings, radio broadcasts, and social media outreach to educate people on flood mitigation measures, safe evacuation routes, and emergency contact protocols. The emphasis was on inclusivity—ensuring that women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities were not left behind in disaster preparedness planning.
Resource Mobilization and Prepositioning
Beyond planning and engagement, NEMA took concrete steps to ensure that emergency response mechanisms were primed and ready. Search and Rescue Equipments,water treatment plants, Relief materials, including food supplies, medical kits, and temporary shelter provisions, were strategically prepositioned in high-risk zones. This move aimed to cut down response times and improve the agency’s ability to deliver immediate aid when disaster struck.
Emergency response teams and various Stakeholders were also put through simulations, testing their readiness to deploy in crisis situations. By strengthening coordination between federal and state agencies, NEMA improved its capacity to mount swift and effective interventions. This was displayed during the swift response to the Maiduguri Alau Dam flood response despite initial challenges , NEMA successfully coordinated Stakeholders response leading to reduced impacts especially with low numbers of casualties in the vast rapid flooding
A Legacy of Proactive Leadership
Mrs. Zubaida Umar’s approach to disaster risk reduction in 2024 underscored a leadership philosophy rooted in foresight, collaboration, and decisive action. By setting the agenda early and ensuring that Nigeria was prepared before the rains, she reinforced NEMA’s role as a proactive rather than reactive institution.
As the rainy season approached, the sense of readiness was palpable. Communities were more informed, response teams were better equipped, and the nation stood on firmer ground to face the challenges ahead. The message was clear: preparedness is not just a strategy—it is a commitment to safeguarding lives and securing the future.
Through these early warning initiatives and robust stakeholder engagements, NEMA not only set out before the rains but also set a new standard for disaster management in Nigeria.
by Abdulkadir Ibrahim
Press Unit NEMA Headquaters Abuja
