By George Ozalla
Nigeria has taken another major step towards establishing a unified national emergency communication system following the commencement of nationwide implementation plans for the adoption of 112 as the country’s single emergency telephone number.
The initiative follows the approval granted by the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, for the adoption of 112 as the national emergency number to be used across all levels of government and emergency response agencies. The Federal Government has also constituted a multi agency implementation committee to coordinate the rollout under the supervision of the Office of the Vice President and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
At a meeting with the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NCC, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, and members of the Commission at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Vice President Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive implementation roadmap and work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), state governments and other emergency service providers to ensure the successful deployment of the initiative nationwide.
Shettima described the adoption of a single emergency number as a critical reform that would eliminate delays associated with multiple emergency lines and improve response time during emergencies.
According to him, citizens facing fire outbreaks, road accidents, robberies, medical emergencies, floods and other life threatening situations require prompt intervention rather than bureaucratic processes.
The Vice President assured that the Federal Government would provide the necessary support for the initiative, adding that funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and partnerships with the private sector to sustain the project.
Earlier, Olorunnimbe disclosed that the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres across the country but stressed that stronger collaboration with state governments, the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services, NEMA and other emergency responders was essential to make the system fully operational.
He said all stakeholders must embrace the initiative to ensure that Nigerians in distress receive immediate assistance regardless of their location.
He described the project as a patriotic responsibility capable of saving lives through faster and better coordinated emergency response.
The adoption of 112 is expected to replace the existing fragmented emergency communication system with a single national number that citizens can dial from any part of the country to access police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services. The unified platform is also expected to strengthen coordination among security agencies, medical responders, fire services and disaster management authorities while improving public confidence in Nigeria’s emergency response system.
