Key points
- The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), with support from UNICEF, is strengthening emergency preparedness and response through community engagement training in Gombe.
- The three-day programme focuses on risk communication, community listening, social and behaviour change, misinformation management and emergency preparedness.
- Emergency preparedness and response officials from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe are participating.
- NEMA says effective community engagement is critical to ensuring that early warning information reaches vulnerable communities quickly and in actionable forms.
- UNICEF says the training is designed to strengthen preparedness, accountability to affected populations and the use of data in community-based emergency response.
- Stakeholders stressed stronger coordination among government agencies and humanitarian partners.
- Women and children were identified as groups requiring particular attention during emergencies.
Main Story
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is strengthening community-based emergency preparedness and response through a three-day capacity-building programme in Gombe.
The training, which began on Tuesday, brings together emergency preparedness and response actors from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe states.
The programme focuses on strengthening risk communication, community listening, social and behaviour change, misinformation management and preparedness during humanitarian and emergency situations.
Declaring the training open, Dr Godwin Tepikor, NEMA Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, said effective community engagement was central to building stronger disaster preparedness and emergency response systems.
Tepikor, represented by Hajiya Umuna Ahmed, Head of Operations, NEMA Bauchi/Gombe Office, thanked UNICEF for its continued partnership in strengthening disaster preparedness across the country.
He said the increasing frequency and complexity of disasters made clear and credible risk communication essential, particularly in helping communities understand threats and take appropriate protective action.
According to him, emergency information is most effective when it reaches communities promptly, is trusted by residents and provides clear actions they can take to protect lives and livelihoods.
He said the training would equip participants with practical skills to strengthen communication with communities and improve coordination among emergency management institutions.
The Issues
Nigeria continues to face multiple humanitarian and emergency challenges, including seasonal flooding, disease outbreaks, displacement and other disasters that can quickly overwhelm affected communities.
One of the major challenges is ensuring that early warnings translate into early action. Information that does not reach communities on time—or is not understood or trusted—can limit the effectiveness of emergency interventions.
Misinformation and poor communication can also increase vulnerability during crises, making community listening and accurate information dissemination important components of emergency management.
The vulnerability of women and children is another concern, as emergencies can disproportionately affect access to healthcare, protection and other essential services.
What’s Being Said
Dr Godwin Tepikor, Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting, NEMA
Tepikor stated that strong risk communication and community engagement are essential to effective emergency preparedness.
He said participants would develop practical skills to ensure early warning messages reached communities promptly, credibly and in actionable forms.
“Strong risk communication and community engagement systems enable communities to understand risks, make informed decisions, and take early action to protect lives and livelihoods.”
He described the programme as an important platform for collaboration among state emergency management agencies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as humanitarian partners and other stakeholders.
Tepikor urged participants to share experiences and good practices and apply the knowledge acquired to strengthen emergency preparedness in their respective states.
Margaret Shoyemi, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Officer for Emergency, Public Health and Humanitarian Action
Shoyemi said the training was designed to strengthen state-level preparedness, community engagement and accountability to people affected by emergencies.
She said UNICEF’s involvement was important because emergencies inevitably affect women, children, families and communities, requiring responses that take their specific needs into account.
Shoyemi noted that Nigeria faces several humanitarian challenges, including flooding, Lassa fever, cholera, displacement and other emergencies.
She stressed that strengthening the capacity of emergency responders was essential to ensuring that the needs of women and children were identified and addressed during crises.
What’s Next
Participants are expected to apply the knowledge gained from the training to strengthen risk communication and community engagement systems within their respective states.
NEMA, UNICEF and other stakeholders are also expected to deepen coordination among emergency management agencies, health authorities, humanitarian organisations and community structures.
Greater collaboration among NEMA, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Orientation Agency and other relevant institutions will be important in ensuring that emergency information is consistent, timely and actionable.
The effectiveness of the initiative will ultimately depend on whether participating institutions can translate the training into practical preparedness measures and stronger community resilience.
Bottom Line
Effective disaster response begins before disaster strikes. By strengthening the ability of emergency responders to listen to communities, communicate risks and act on reliable information, NEMA and UNICEF are seeking to move Nigeria’s emergency management approach towards greater preparedness and resilience. The success of the initiative, however, will depend on sustained coordination and the ability to turn training into timely action at community level.
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