The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and UNICEF Nigeria have announced a strategic expansion of their partnership.
The collaboration focuses on revolutionary early warning systems and advanced climate disaster preparedness ahead of the 2026 risk season.
The commitment was solidified during a high-level engagement on Monday, January 19, 2026, when a UNICEF delegation visited the NEMA headquarters in Abuja to synchronise disaster mitigation strategies.
The Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, emphasised that with the 2026 climate risk season approaching, Nigeria can no longer afford to be reactive.
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She noted that climate change has fundamentally altered the country’s disaster landscape, necessitating a “technology-first” approach to emergency management.
“Seamless information sharing among stakeholders is the bedrock of timely response,” Umar stated.
“We are deploying cutting-edge technology to ensure that our early warning systems are not just alerts, but actionable intelligence that safeguards our most vulnerable communities.”
The UNICEF delegation, led by Emergency Manager Dorica Phiri, reaffirmed the international agency’s role as a critical technical partner.
UNICEF’s involvement is particularly vital in ensuring that disaster preparedness is inclusive, focusing on the unique vulnerabilities of children, women, and displaced populations.
The 2026 partnership is anchored on several key pillars. First, inclusive preparedness will focus on tailoring emergency response strategies to meet the specific needs of people with disabilities and residents of rural communities.
Second, information synergy will bridge the gap between NEMA and international data pools, enabling more accurate weather forecasting and flood prediction.
The national resilience will prioritise capacity-building at the grassroots level, ensuring that communities can respond effectively to early warnings before disasters strike.
The 2026 risk season is expected to bring intensified hydro-meteorological challenges, including potential flooding and heatwaves.
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Umar highlighted that NEMA’s newly strengthened proactive stance is designed to build a culture of “anticipatory action”—moving from managing disasters to managing risks.
By integrating UNICEF’s global expertise in humanitarian coordination with NEMA’s domestic operational reach, the Nigerian government aims to drastically reduce the socio-economic impact of climate-induced catastrophes this year.
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