Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar has been nominated for the Blueprint Newspapers 2025 Responsive Humanitarian Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership in disaster management and humanitarian response across Nigeria.
The nomination underscores growing recognition of NEMA’s efforts under Umar’s leadership in coordinating timely, structured, and impactful interventions for communities affected by disasters, emergencies, and other humanitarian crises.
The Chairman of the Editorial Board of Blueprint Newspapers, Mrs. Zainab Suleiman-Okino formally presented the nomination letter to the NEMA Director-General on Wednesday at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Suleiman-Okino, the nomination followed a comprehensive assessment by the newspaper’s awards selection committee, which found Mrs. Umar eminently qualified for the prestigious honour based on her leadership record and contributions to humanitarian service delivery.
She noted that the recognition reflects the significant impact of NEMA’s interventions and its commitment to providing relief and support to vulnerable populations across the country.
Suleiman-Okino also invited the Director-General to the forthcoming award presentation ceremony, scheduled to hold later in the year.
Responding, Mrs. Umar expressed appreciation to Blueprint Newspapers for the nomination and the confidence reposed in her leadership.
She dedicated the recognition to the management and staff of NEMA, as well as the Agency’s numerous partners and stakeholders, whose dedication and collaboration she said have contributed immensely to effective disaster management and humanitarian response efforts nationwide.
The NEMA Director-General noted that the nomination serves as an encouragement for the Agency to continue strengthening its emergency preparedness and response mechanisms in line with its mandate of protecting lives and livelihoods.
She reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to enhancing disaster risk reduction, emergency response coordination, and humanitarian assistance through innovation, collaboration, and strategic partnerships.
Observers say the nomination highlights the critical role the Agency has continued to play in responding to emergencies and supporting affected communities across Nigeria, particularly amid increasing humanitarian challenges.
The Blueprint Newspapers Responsive Humanitarian Leadership Award is designed to recognize individuals whose leadership and service have made significant contributions to humanitarian causes, disaster response, and social impact initiatives in the country.
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