The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has called for stronger global and local partnerships to build resilience and sustainable growth in Nigeria.
She made the remarks at a high-level side event on the margins of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), themed “Global Partnerships, Local Prosperity: Unlocking Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Blueprint for Sustainable Growth.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s evolving disaster management framework, Umar underscored the importance of shifting from reactive to proactive strategies. “At NEMA, our mandate goes beyond responding to emergencies — it is about fostering collaborations that guarantee empowerment, sustainability, and resilience. Communities must not only be supported in times of crisis but also equipped to withstand future shocks,” she said.
The NEMA boss emphasised that effective disaster response begins at the community and state levels, stressing the critical role of functional State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs). She cited Kaduna State as a model, commending its proactive preparations ahead of the flood season, including identifying higher grounds, setting up camps, and strengthening early response mechanisms.
Umar also highlighted the broader vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that global and domestic partnerships are central to unlocking sustainable development. She reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to working closely with federal, state, and international stakeholders to build a safer and more resilient Nigeria.
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