Environment
Nigeria Records 412 Deaths In Fuel Related Fire Incidents In Five Years
According to a report released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), not less than 412 Nigerians have lost their lives between 2018 to 2023 in petroleum related fire incidents.
The report released during an engagement with stakeholders on HSE and Community Activities in Port Harcourt blamed majority of the fire incidents on petroleum retail outlets.
The report which was presented on behalf of the Agency by Chibuzor Chibuike of the HSE department said petroleum retail outlets recorded the highest numbers of fire incidences within the period under review.
He said for this year 2023, 80 lives were lost in petroleum related fire incident.
Chibuike stressed the need for operators to move away from making money to protecting lives.
He stressed the need for operators to imbibe regular maintenance of facilities while fire-fighting equipment be station in all facilities.
Chibuike also warned against use of cell phones at filling stations while regular training and retraining of staff on safety be carried out.
He also urged filling station owners to ensure restricted access to generator houses and other places that people do not need to go to.
Meanwhile, The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has called for a sound management of Health Safety and Environment (HSE) in the depots/jetties, retail outlets and transportation of petroleum products.
The Executive Director, Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Dr. Mustapha Lamorde said this in his address at the engagement forum.
Larmode said HSE should be managed from a business perspective and not for compliance purpose.
“This is to say that HSE related matters should be integrated into the management decision making process.”
The HSE ED whose address was read by Victor Onohodiase said the Agency will continue to engage stakeholders with the view to forestalling the dangers /risk posed by unwholesome practices and non compliance to statutory provision with respect to HSE in depots, jetties, retail outlets, gas plants and the transportation of petroleum products including gas.
He further declared the readiness of the Agency to recommence the Health Safety and Environment technical audits of which the outcome will be used in liaising with other Directorates in the issuance of various licenses.
According to him, the audit will evaluate the adequacy of the HSE requirements, competency and training of staff engaged by operators of the industry.
“This will no longer be business as usual, it is now safety first.
“The NMDPRA would ensure that the aspirations of the federal government by passing the PIA is achieved”, he said.
By: John Bibor
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.