The National Emergency Management Agency has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s humanitarian transition through strengthened coordination of disaster management and emergency response.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, gave the assurance at the opening of the Humanitarian Transition Workshop organised by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Abuja.
She described the workshop as a timely platform for developing a joint action plan to strengthen a nationally led, sustainable and people-centred humanitarian system.
Umar said the transition aligns with NEMA’s statutory mandate and pledged the agency’s continued leadership through improved coordination, anticipatory action, enhanced preparedness, reliable data and stronger partnerships across all levels of government.
According to her, the workshop provides an opportunity for stakeholders to develop practical strategies for strengthening federal and state institutions, improving coordination mechanisms and ensuring humanitarian interventions remain accountable, inclusive and responsive to vulnerable populations.
She added that NEMA would continue working closely with the United Nations, State Emergency Management Agencies and development partners to build a resilient and nationally owned humanitarian system.
Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, urged state and local governments, the private sector, development partners and Nigerians in the diaspora to support the transition by mobilising resources for vulnerable communities.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Dr Mohamed Malik Fall, said the humanitarian transition does not signal the UN’s withdrawal from Nigeria but represents a strategic shift to enable Nigerian institutions to take greater leadership while the UN continues to provide technical support and capacity building.
The workshop brought together representatives of federal and state governments, UN agencies, development partners and civil society organisations to discuss strategies for strengthening nationally led humanitarian action in Nigeria.
