NEMA Activates National Emergency Operations Centre for 2026 Floods

ABUJA — Amid heightened seasonal climate risks across the country, the National Emergency Management Agency has officially activated its National Emergency Operations Centre to streamline disaster coordination and response for the 2026 rainy season.

​The Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, announced the activation during the formal inauguration of centre members at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday. She charged officials to maintain high levels of diligence, professionalism, and proactivity in executing their duties.

​According to the agency, the centre functions as the central clearinghouse for monitoring the ongoing flood situation, collating reliable data, and harmonizing multi-agency information. The framework aims to ensure that actionable intelligence reaches vulnerable communities and decision-makers in a timely manner.

​”Timely access to credible information is essential for early action, deployment of resources, and the protection of lives and livelihoods in communities at risk of flooding,” Umar stated.

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​Speaking on behalf of the directorate, NEMA’s Deputy Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Tony Ephraim, affirmed the team’s commitment to rigorous data collection, analysis, and coordinated emergency management.

​The activation builds upon prior disaster preparedness measures initiated by the Federal Government, including the release of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook in April. That framework mandated active flood control projects and reinforced lines of collaboration between NEMA, state emergency management agencies, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.

​Authorities have continued to urge residents in high-risk flood zones to heed early warning alerts and relocate to designated safe areas as the peak of the rainy season progresses.