Valentine Okafor
The World Bank has announced its planned partnership and support to Nigeria in enhancing disaster response capabilities.
This came up on Wednesday when the Director General (DG) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, received a delegation from the World Bank, led by Mr. Francis Samson Nkoka, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist, at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit was in furtherance to existing partnership between NEMA and the World Bank, aimed at enhancing disaster risk management mechanisms, particularly at the sub-national levels across Nigeria.
During the meeting, Mr. Nkoka highlighted the World Bank’s interest in deepening collaboration with NEMA to support the implementation of strategies that strengthen emergency preparedness and response capacities at the state and local government levels.
He emphasized that the initiative was also aimed at reinforcinginstitutional frameworks and improving operational readiness across all tiers of government.
In her remarks, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s sustained support. She reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to a robust partnership that fosters timely and effective disaster risk management nationwide.
The visit underscores the critical role of stakeholder collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s resilience to disasters and improving emergency response systems across the country.