The Federal Government has unveiled plans to empower flood-prone communities nationwide to take greater responsibility for their own safety as part of a broader strategy to tackle the growing threat of disasters.
 
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), stressing that no level of government’s preparedness can succeed without the community’s involvement.
 
He said resilience cannot be built by the government alone, but should be reflected in how cities are planned, how businesses protect their workers, and how communities share information and support one another.

Shettima called for stronger partnerships with the private sector, urging companies to embed risk reduction into their corporate planning and investment decisions.  He said: “Our academia and research institutions also bear the responsibility of generating the data, innovation, and practical research we need to prepare for a safer future. We count on them to shape the knowledge that guides our decisions. And we expect civil society to hold us accountable, raise awareness, and mobilise citizens around the shared responsibility of preparedness.
 
“But none of these efforts will yield results unless we empower and support our communities to take ownership of their safety. They are the foundation of whatever strategy we adopt and the heartbeat of our national resilience.”
 
Shettima praised the theme of the 2025 IDDRR, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” noting that it reflects a truth often overlooked: investing in preparedness is far cheaper and more humane than rebuilding after a crisis.
 
Earlier, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s disaster management framework through a five-year strategic plan.  He urged stakeholders to adopt a Public-Private Partnership model to fund disaster management initiatives.
 
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, noted that Nigeria, like many countries, had suffered from natural and human-induced disasters, making it imperative to review the nation’s strategic framework to effectively reach underserved communities.
 
NEMA’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, described the event as a defining moment in the country’s national commitment to resilience.  Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Kaka Shehu Lawan, lauded NEMA’s leadership and assured that the National Assembly will continue to provide legislative support.
 
His counterpart in the House of Representatives, Joseph Bassey, pledged to back efforts to amend the NEMA Act to make it more effective. In his keynote address, Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Charles Usie, stressed the importance of adopting global frameworks for disaster risk reduction.