The Nigerian Army and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun partnership with the Nigerian Army to strengthen innovations aimed at curbing occurrences of flood disaster.
The duo informed that the collaboration aims to improve nationwide disaster response, emergency preparedness and flood mitigation efforts ahead of the peak of the rainy season and also ensure humanitarian operations against the unwanted condition.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to supporting national disaster management describing NEMA as a strategic partner whose mandate complements the military body’s constitutional responsibility of assisting civil authorities during emergencies.
To strengthen inter-agency preparedness, Shaibu held that the Army has directed the Chief of Training to grant NEMA access to the Land Forces Simulation Centre for joint tabletop exercises and scenario-based planning, stating that such provision.would improve coordination, decision-making and operational efficiency before field deployments.
The COAS also emphasized on the need for intelligence-driven disaster risk management and proactive measures, urging NEMA to intensify monitoring of critical infrastructure such as dams and reservoirs while promoting regional cooperation on transboundary water management.
According to him, effective disaster management depends on early warning systems, timely dissemination of information and seamless collaboration among relevant agencies to protect lives, critical infrastructure and socio-economic stability.
The NEMA Director General commended the Nigerian Army for its consistent support in disaster management operations nationwide. She revealed that forecasts indicate a high risk of flooding in 33 states during the current rainy season.
Speaking during the event held on Friday at the Army headquarters in Abuja, the Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, disclosed that the agency’s specialized Disaster Response Units had been established in all geopolitical zones and strategically equipped for rapid deployment to flood-prone and other high-risk areas.
Umar added that simulation exercises would be conducted in vulnerable states including Oyo, Cross River and Adamawa, and appealed for increased military assistance in engineering, aviation and search-and-rescue operations to strengthen the country’s disaster response capacity.
The visit underscored the growing partnership between the Army and NEMA as Nigeria prepares for heightened flood risks and other climate-related emergencies during the 2026 rainy season.