In a proactive step to reinforce Nigeria’s emergency preparedness and disaster response capacity, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have jointly carried out a safety and emergency evacuation drill across strategic facilities in the Federal Capital Territory.
The drill, which brought together stakeholders from the emergency management and energy sectors, was aimed at testing the efficiency of response mechanisms, coordination between agencies, and the readiness of critical infrastructure in the face of sudden emergencies such as fire outbreaks, system failures, or security threats.
Speaking during the exercise, NEMA’s Director-General, Mustapha Ahmed, said the initiative is in line with the agency’s 2025–2029 strategic roadmap to reduce disaster risk, enhance community resilience, and ensure a timely and effective response to emergencies. He noted that the growing threats posed by climate change, power system vulnerabilities, and urban hazards necessitate stronger inter-agency collaboration.
“We are strengthening institutional preparedness through continuous drills, capacity-building and simulation exercises like this. These efforts are essential in improving our response to disasters and ensuring public safety,” Ahmed said.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission also emphasized the importance of safety within the power sector, noting that the reliability of Nigeria’s power infrastructure hinges not just on technical efficiency but also on its ability to withstand and recover from disruptive events. NERC Commissioner, Dafe Akpeneye, highlighted that the commission is developing updated reliability standards and emergency protocols to deal with extreme weather and other emergent risks.
“This collaboration is vital to secure the lives of workers and the public in and around power facilities. With our energy infrastructure being central to national development, we cannot afford to be unprepared for emergencies,” Akpeneye said.
The drill included simulations of fire evacuations, structural incidents, and coordinated medical responses, with participation from first responders, health officials, the police, and community representatives. Observers say it provided a real-time test of the nation’s emergency playbook and identified areas for improvement.
The exercise is expected to inform future safety standards and emergency response plans, particularly in Nigeria’s power sector, where disruptions can have nationwide implications. NEMA and NERC pledged to institutionalize such drills and continue collaboration with other agencies to build a culture of preparedness and rapid response.
With Nigeria facing increasing risks from environmental and man-made disasters, stakeholders at the event agreed that emergency simulations of this scale are no longer optional, they are a necessity for safeguarding lives, infrastructure, and economic stability.
