Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the review of the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF) and the National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) as part of efforts to ensure that Nigeria’s disaster management architecture remains responsive to emerging risks and evolving realities.
Declaring open the inception workshop for the review in Abuja on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the exercise had become imperative in view of the changing disaster risk landscape, characterized by increasingly severe flooding, climate-related hazards, conflict-induced displacement, disease outbreaks, urban emergencies, transportation accidents, and other complex humanitarian challenges.
Mrs. Umar noted that while the existing NDMF and NDRP had provided valuable guidance for disaster management over the years, emerging threats and lessons learned from recent emergencies necessitated a comprehensive review to ensure that the documents remain relevant, practical, and fit for purpose.
According to her, the review presents an opportunity to strengthen coordination among stakeholders, enhance early warning and early action systems, address gaps in response structures, integrate emerging risks such as climate change and insecurity, and ensure that vulnerable groups are adequately considered in disaster planning and response.
She urged participants to leverage their technical expertise and field experiences to develop clear, practical, and implementable documents that would further strengthen disaster management in Nigeria.
The Director-General expressed confidence that the exercise would produce robust, inclusive, and forward-looking frameworks capable of enhancing disaster risk reduction and emergency response across the country for years to come.
Mrs. Umar also appreciated the support and collaboration of the World Bank Group, the Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI), and the Disability Rights Fund toward the successful review process.
Speaking at the workshop, the Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist of the World Bank Group, Dr. Francis Nkoka, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting the review through sustained technical and financial assistance.
He described the exercise as a reflection of the shared commitment between the World Bank and NEMA to strengthening disaster risk management and building a more resilient Nigeria.
Dr. Nkoka commended the Director-General of NEMA for spearheading the review and reiterated the World Bank’s readiness to continue supporting initiatives aimed at improving disaster preparedness and response mechanisms nationwide.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI), Mrs. Patience Obolo Dickson, commended NEMA for adopting a broad consultative approach to the review process.
She observed that disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly women, children, and persons with disabilities, and expressed optimism that the review would deliberately mainstream disability inclusion across all components of disaster management.
Earlier, NEMA’s Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Dr. Godwin Tepikor, said the inception workshop marked the beginning of a comprehensive process aimed at reviewing and strengthening the country’s disaster management instruments in line with current realities and international best practices.
He added that contributions from stakeholders at the workshop would provide the foundation for subsequent zonal consultations and the eventual development of more responsive and effective disaster management frameworks for Nigeria.
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