AWC MDA Desk
Amid rising public expectations for quicker and more effective disaster response, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has convened a Management Retreat to critically review its performance over the past operational year and recalibrate its strategic direction for improved service delivery nationwide.
The retreat, which began on 21 January 2026, brings together senior and middle-level management of the Agency to assess operational outcomes, interrogate gaps, and align internal processes with clearly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). From a public perspective, the exercise signals a deliberate effort by NEMA to move beyond routine assessments toward measurable results that directly impact communities affected by floods, fires, building collapses, and other emergencies.
Opening the retreat, NEMA Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, acknowledged the growing complexity and frequency of disaster risks across the country, stressing that public trust in emergency institutions is shaped by speed, coordination, and visible outcomes. She charged management staff to adopt a more proactive, cohesive, and data-driven approach to disaster preparedness and response.
Observers note that the retreat comes at a time when Nigerians are increasingly scrutinising emergency response agencies, particularly in terms of early warning dissemination, inter-agency coordination, and post-disaster relief effectiveness. By anchoring the retreat on performance reviews and forward-looking KPIs, NEMA appears to be responding to public concerns about accountability and institutional readiness.
According to the Agency, outcomes of the retreat are expected to translate into stronger coordination with state and local emergency structures, improved response timelines, and better use of resources—areas frequently highlighted by citizens and civil society groups as needing urgent improvement.
As disaster risks intensify due to climate change and rapid urbanisation, the true test of the retreat, analysts say, will be whether its resolutions deliver tangible improvements on the ground, restoring public confidence in NEMA as a responsive, reliable, and performance-driven national emergency institution.
