The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Thursday opened the maiden sub-national (SEMA) conference in Lagos.
The National SEMA Conference, which will hold from October 2 to October 4, 2025, is a gathering of emergency management stakeholders from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
These stakeholders are to chart a coordinated framework for disaster preparedness and resilience across Nigeria.
The conference has the theme: “Strengthening Subnational Emergency Management for a Resilient Nigeria.”
In her remarks, the director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, described the event as a defining step in strengthening Nigeria’s disaster management architecture.
“This gathering is not just another conference. It is a call to action. A reminder of the shared duty we bear: to protect lives, safeguard property and strengthen the resilience of our communities in the face of disasters and emergencies,” Umar said.
She commended Lagos State for its pioneering strides through the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), noting its decentralisation of response units, integration of technology and strong community mobilisation.
The NEMA boss noted that the examples from Lagos State are models for national adoption.
“Lagos has shown that when vision meets commitment, progress is inevitable. Yet, as a nation, we face sobering realities: floods, building collapses, industrial accidents, public health emergencies and the growing threats of climate change.
“These challenges demand not just a federal response, but a coordinated national system,” she added.
Umar outlined her administration’s focus areas, including strengthening early warning systems, expanding grassroots capacity building and embedding transparency in emergency interventions.
Also speaking, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, said that hosting the maiden conference underscored Lagos State’s leadership in disaster management.
“This summit reflects the commitment of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to safeguarding lives and property.
“Our recent simulation exercise showed Lagos residents that we have the personnel, equipment and capacity to manage any form of emergency 24/7,” he stated.
Oke-Osanyintolu announced that LASEMA would formally launch its Institute of Emergency and Disaster Management this weekend to institutionalise training and professionalise emergency response across the country.
He also unveiled the LASEMA Mobile App, designed to improve communication and speed of response during emergencies.
“Effective communication is the backbone of emergency management. With this app, citizens can reach our call centre directly, provide real-time feedback and receive instant support during emergencies,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
Dr. Leke Pitan, former Lagos State Commissioner for Health and Education, delivered a keynote address titled: “From Risk to Readiness: Strengthening Disaster Preparedness at the Sub-National Level.”
He drew on Lagos’ pioneering reforms under then-Governor (now President) Bola Tinubu, and recounted the establishment of LASAMBUS in 2001, Nigeria’s first structured state ambulance system with mobile intensive care capacity.
Pitan also recounted the eventual creation of LASEMA to coordinate multi-agency responses.
“For cities like Lagos – densely populated, economically vital, and highly vulnerable – integrating health systems into emergency management is not optional; it is existential,” Pitan said.
He highlighted 10 strategic levers for the future to include surveillance, financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and community resilience.
He urged states to adopt a “resilience-first” mindset, saying, “Emergencies will inevitably come—whether flood, fire, disease or accident. The true test is not their occurrence but our readiness, unity and innovation in response.
