Nigeria is strengthening its national disaster response architecture as the Army and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) deepen operational cooperation to improve flood preparedness, emergency response and humanitarian assistance ahead of the peak of the rainy season.
The renewed partnership was reaffirmed during a meeting between the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and the Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Abubakar Umar, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, as contained in a statement issued by Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.
At the centre of the collaboration is a broader strategy to integrate military capabilities into Nigeria’s disaster management framework through faster deployment, improved inter-agency coordination and enhanced preparedness for natural disasters, particularly flooding, which continues to threaten lives and infrastructure across several states.
Lieutenant General Shaibu described disaster response as an essential component of national security, noting that the Nigerian Army remains committed to supporting civil authorities whenever emergencies overwhelm local response capabilities.
He explained that “the Army has already established specialised Disaster Response Units across the country’s geopolitical zones, positioning personnel and equipment for rapid deployment to flood-prone and other high-risk communities.”
To strengthen operational readiness, the Army also approved NEMA’s access to the Land Forces Simulation Centre for joint tabletop exercises and scenario-based planning.
The initiative is expected to improve coordination, decision-making and interoperability between both institutions before emergencies occur rather than during active disaster response.
The Army Chief further advocated intelligence-driven disaster risk management, urging continuous monitoring of dams, reservoirs and other critical infrastructure while encouraging stronger regional cooperation on transboundary water management to minimise the impact of seasonal flooding.
He maintained that early warning systems, timely information sharing and sustained collaboration among relevant institutions remain critical to protecting lives, preserving infrastructure and safeguarding Nigeria’s socio-economic stability against increasingly complex climate-related emergencies.
NEMA Director General, Mrs Zubaida Abubakar Umar, acknowledged the Nigerian Army’s longstanding support during disaster response operations nationwide and disclosed that current forecasts indicate high flood risks across 33 states during the ongoing rainy season.
She said that disaster simulation exercises are already planned for vulnerable states, including Oyo, Cross River and Adamawa, while appealing for expanded military support in engineering, aviation and search-and-rescue operations to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency response capacity.
The renewed alliance reflects a growing recognition that national resilience against disasters depends not only on emergency interventions but also on sustained planning, joint training and coordinated action among security and emergency management institutions.
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