The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has activated its National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) to enhance coordination, monitoring and emergency response for the 2026 flood season nationwide.
Speaking during the inauguration of the centre at NEMA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the agency’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, urged members of the operations centre to discharge their duties with professionalism, diligence and a proactive approach.
According to NEMA, the activation is designed to improve the coordination, collection and analysis of reliable data on the 2026 flood situation, strengthening preparedness, planning and response efforts across the country.
Umar emphasised the need for timely, accurate and credible information to support effective decision-making and efficient management of flooding and other climate-related disasters. She said the move forms part of the agency’s broader strategy to bolster national preparedness and improve collaboration among stakeholders during the rainy season.
She noted that access to dependable information is critical for early intervention, resource deployment and the protection of lives and livelihoods in vulnerable communities.
Also speaking, NEMA’s Deputy Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Tony Ephraim, assured the Director-General of the centre’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate.
He said the team would focus on effective monitoring, data collection, analysis and information management to facilitate timely decisions and coordinated responses to flood emergencies and other climate-induced hazards.
NEMA said the operations centre will serve as the national hub for monitoring flood developments, harmonising information from relevant agencies and supporting coordinated preparedness and response throughout the 2026 rainy season.
The activation follows months of intensified flood preparedness by NEMA and other emergency management agencies after seasonal climate and flood outlooks identified several states as vulnerable to flooding this year.
The agency has continued to urge state governments, local emergency management agencies and residents of flood-prone communities to take preventive measures to reduce the impact of flooding.
The latest move is part of the Federal Government’s broader flood preparedness strategy ahead of the peak of the rainy season. At the unveiling of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook in April, the government reaffirmed its commitment to proactive flood management through flood control projects and strengthened disaster preparedness in high-risk states.
In recent weeks, NEMA has also intensified public awareness campaigns, urging residents in vulnerable communities to heed early warning alerts and relocate to safer areas whenever necessary.
