Business
NEMA RE-Affirms Commitment To Disaster Management
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was established 10 years ago to help disaster emergency management, response and provision of disaster assistance to victims.
But 10 years after, many Nigerians have not figured out the functions of NEMA due to ignorance.
Speaking to a group of journalists recently in an interactive session, the zonal coordinator of NEMA, south-south, Umesi Emenike said the Agency is coming to the centre stage by coordinating, sensitizing, educating and enlightening people by collaborating with other agencies, organisations, in respect to disaster cases.
Emenike noted that the Agency is poised to alleviate the pain and agony of victims of disaster not just from the area of providing relief measures but by assisting during emergency and providing solutions against disaster.
The rural coordinator revealed that earlier in the year, the Agency had warned that there would be flooding in most part of the country and warned that drainage facilities be cleared, but that warning was not adhered to which subsequently caused flooding in most of the states, including Rivers State.
He said the Agency has been working with humanitarian organisations and volunteers to form a kind of synergy that will help adhere government policy in the country.
Emenike who also dived into the recent amnesty granted by the militants, said NEMA may consider taking steps by looking into the plights of communities that were affected by militant activities in the Niger Delta region with a view to rehabilitating them.
He commended the federal government for the amnesty granted to the militants but pleaded that the communities affected during the crisis should be rehabilitated.
He blamed the public for not reporting disasters to the agency promptly pointing that, the act of not informing NEMA was always responsible why the Agency don’t respond to emergency timely.
Emenike urged that the Agency is fully funded and has all type of equipment in ease of rescue or emergency period.
According to him, During disaster or emergency period, NEMA has the statutory power to order any company to move its equipments to the disaster area immediately. “This is because we collaborate with all the Agencies and organisations in the country he added.
He noted that if crisis or accidents is re ported in time, NEMA is always up in meeting up the task.
The zonal coordinator disclosed that the Agency has commence training of new volunteers in Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers State on ways to manage emergency, response to crisis and general road safety. The training also comprises how to rescue people and victims from vehicle, in road accident.
He however announced that the zonal headquarter in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital will organise a summit for emergency management, simulation exercise at the airport, and other measures, towards saving lives and disasters from occurring.
Emenike further advised Nigerians to always ensure timely report of emergency and disaster related cases to enable them effectively respond to them.
Timely reports of emergency cases to appropriate authorities shall in no small measure enhance the performance of the relevant agencies in managing emergency cases he emphasised.
The NEMA boss recalled that the Agency which was established 10 years ago has succeeded in positioning itself well in some concept through the collaboration with relevant organisations and volunteer groups within and outside the country.
As the ember months set in, the Agency said it always organise workshop and public lectures allowing the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to do the talking, sensitizing, educating the drivers and other road users of the need to be extremely careful while on the road.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh said this at the 8th annual induction and conference of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN).
He explained that abandoned projects continue to lock up public funds that could have been used for infrastructure development, industrial growth, job creation and essential social services.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, he said the impact goes beyond financial losses, as incomplete projects affect communities and limit access to important public services
He cited examples of that remain unopened, schools that cannot accommodate students, roads that fail to connect communities and electricity projects that have not delivered their intended benefits.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, also identified poor project management as a major challenge affecting development in Nigeria.
He revealed that the institute had developed a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which has received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC). The programme is expected to enable universities to offer project management as a bachelor’s degree.
Mbadiwe further referenced findings by the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee, which identified 11,886 ongoing federal capital projects in 2011, with an estimated financial commitment of ?7.78 trillion.
He noted that inadequate planning, supervision, accountability and implementation were among the factors contributing to the abandonment of projects across the country.
The minister called for stronger project management structures across ministries, departments and agencies to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had introduced a 90-day implementation reporting cycle to strengthen transparency and monitor the progress of government programmes.
Ikenga said the company remained committed to Nigeria’s power sector and would continue investing in its operations despite the challenging business environment.
He spoke in Lagos at the third edition of the Shell Power Conference, themed “Powering Nigeria’s Progress: Turning Ambition and Action into Sustainable Impact”.
The Transcorp Power chief said the company would sustain electricity generation, invest in its facilities and deliver value to shareholders.
“Transcorp Power is a long-term player, not a short-term player. This year has been challenging, but what is important is getting power to schools, hospitals and businesses to power progress,” he said.
Ikenga said the company’s focus on operational efficiency and investment had strengthened its contribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply.
He disclosed that since acquiring the Ughelli Power Plant in Delta State in 2013, Transcorp Power had quadrupled its available generation capacity.
He also said the company became the first privatised power generation firm to receive a post-privatisation discharge certificate after fulfilling all its privatisation obligations.
The company’s unaudited results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, showed a profit before tax of N83.1 billion, while its profit-before-tax margin rose to 31.2 per cent from 29.6 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Its total assets rose to 11.7 per cent amounting to N629.5 billion, while shareholders’ funds grew 8.9 per cent to N199.8 billion. Cash and cash equivalents also rose to N10.3 billion, supported by improved collections.
On the company’s contribution to grid stability, Ikenga said Transcorp Power’s black-start capability enabled it to restart operations without relying on electricity from the national grid.
He explained that the capability allowed the company to support power restoration following grid disturbances, helping to restore electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries.
Ikenga noted that Nigeria had an installed electricity generation capacity of about 13,000 megawatts, with an estimated potential of 50 gigawatts, adding that realising the potential would require effective coordination across the entire value chain.
“Everything in the value chain has to work,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, regulators and private-sector operators, alongside increased private investment, to build a sustainable electricity market.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press Secretary, Maryann Duke.
The statement said Oyedele pointed to “improved digital systems, including electronic invoicing, as a key driver behind a record of N33tn in government revenue collected between January and October 2026.”
The minister said the performance demonstrated the potential of technology to improve revenue administration, strengthen compliance and increase efficiency across government institutions.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Digital Sovereignty and Ethics: Guarding the Economy for the Next Generation,’ Oyedele warned that Nigeria risked losing substantial economic opportunities if it continued to depend heavily on foreign digital infrastructure.
Citing Nigerian Communications Commission figures, he disclosed that the country recorded more than 157 million active internet subscriptions as of May 2026.
He explained that these connections generated significant volumes of information through financial transactions, healthcare, education and taxation.
However, citing estimates from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Oyedele said as much as 90 per cent of the country’s data was hosted abroad.
According to him, the situation has implications for foreign exchange expenditure, employment opportunities, technological skills and Nigeria’s control over information generated by its citizens.
He compared the country’s reliance on foreign digital infrastructure with its historical dependence on imported refined petroleum products, warning against a situation where Nigerian data would be processed abroad and the resulting services sold back to domestic users.
The minister consequently advocated greater investment in local data infrastructure, technical expertise, cybersecurity and predictable regulations to enable Nigerian businesses to capture more value from the digital economy.
He clarified that digital sovereignty should not translate into technological isolation but should strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate competitively in international markets.
Addressing graduating students, Oyedele urged young Nigerians to become developers of technological solutions rather than remain primarily consumers of products created elsewhere.
He identified artificial intelligence as both a disruptive force and an opportunity for innovation, advising graduates to acquire relevant digital skills alongside critical thinking, creativity, sound judgement and integrity.
The minister also cautioned against irresponsible online behaviour, explaining that digital footprints increasingly influence employment prospects, commercial relationships and professional credibility.
Oyedele outlined five priorities for graduates, including continuous learning, value creation, integrity, responsible digital citizenship and active participation in national development.
“Your degree is evidence of what you have learned. Your competence will demonstrate what you can do. Your character will reveal who you truly are,” he told the graduating students.
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