The Federal Government has said it is considering empowering flood-prone communities across Nigeria to manage their own safety as part of efforts to address the growing threat of disasters.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR).
Shettima said that no amount of government preparedness will yield tangible results if local communities are not empowered to take responsibility for their own safety.
“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,” the Vice President said.
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He noted that disaster resilience cannot be achieved by government efforts alone, stressing that it also depends on urban planning, business practices, and community cooperation.
Calling for stronger partnerships with the private sector, Shettima urged companies to embed risk reduction into corporate planning and investment decisions.
He lauded this year’s IDDRR theme, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” describing it as a reminder that it is cheaper and more humane to invest in prevention than to rebuild after destruction.
“Every naira we spend today on preparedness saves many more tomorrow on response and recovery,” he said. “Every investment in resilience is, in truth, an investment in the lives and futures of our people.”
The Vice President identified priority areas for investment, including drainage systems, climate-smart agriculture, early warning systems, and the strengthening of state and local emergency management agencies through training and technology.
According to him, the Tinubu administration is integrating disaster risk reduction into all sectors of governance, including agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health, while developing a National Disaster Risk Financing Framework to ensure sustainable funding for prevention and preparedness.
Earlier, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal commended the launch of Nigeria’s new five-year strategic plan on disaster management, urging stakeholders to adopt a public-private partnership model for funding.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, emphasized the need to diversify funding sources and review the country’s disaster management framework to reach underserved communities.
NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar said the 2025 IDDRR celebration marked a defining moment for strengthening national resilience and financing disaster prevention efforts.
Also speaking, the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Disaster Management, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan and Hon. Joseph Bassey, pledged legislative support for NEMA’s reform and the amendment of its enabling Act.
The Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Charles Usie, in his keynote address, called for improved transparency, data management, coordination, and early warning systems to enhance Nigeria’s disaster response capacity.
