By Emmanuel Onyedika
The Federal Government has commenced moves to operationalise 112 as Nigeria’s single, toll-free National Emergency Number, with Vice President Kashim Shettima directing stakeholders to develop a comprehensive roadmap for rollout and endorsement by the National Economic Council (NEC).
The directive was given in Abuja during a National Emergency Number 112 Project Stakeholders Meeting, following NEC’s approval of 112 to replace fragmented emergency lines. The goal is to eliminate bureaucratic delays and give citizens easy access to rapid help during fires, accidents, medical crises, or security breaches.
Chairing the meeting, VP Shettima urged the newly constituted committee to base its work on global best practices and deliver clear Standard Operating Procedures. “Let’s make progress so that whatever time we have spent here is worth spending. And most importantly, the engine is finance. It is resources to drive the process. And I want to assure you that we will get the resources,” he said, according to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, SSA to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President).
The committee includes the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other relevant agencies. Their mandate is to finalise the roadmap and SOPs for NEC endorsement.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, described the adoption of 112 as “a significant step towards ensuring that citizens have a simple and reliable means of accessing emergency assistance.” He explained that one number should provide access to the appropriate response in cases of armed attacks, accidents, fires, medical emergencies, or kidnappings.
In her presentation, Mrs. Lydia Aina, Personal Assistant to the President on e-Governance, said Nigeria’s emergency response is currently fragmented across agencies and jurisdictions. “The goal is to move from fragmented states through coordinated response to a fully integrated national framework. Our job now is to turn it into an actual working programme with milestones,” she said, listing governance clarity as the first of six immediate priorities.
The initiative marks a significant step toward building a unified, technology-driven emergency response system in Nigeria.