112 To Become Nigeria’s National Emergency Number

July 9 () — The Federal Government has commenced consultations with key stakeholders to adopt 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency telephone number, marking a major step towards establishing a unified emergency response system across the country.

The move follows the approval by the National Economic Council (NEC) for the nationwide adoption of 112 as the country’s unified emergency number for use by all tiers of government and emergency response agencies.

Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Kashim Shettima, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the initiative was one of the major issues discussed during a meeting between Shettima and a delegation of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa, on Tuesday in Abuja.

As part of the implementation strategy, Vice President Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the rollout of the unified emergency number and work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen coordination among emergency response institutions nationwide.

He also assured the Commission of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to the project, noting that funding support would be mobilised through the National Economic Council, as well as private sector partnerships to ensure its successful implementation.

The Vice President stressed that the effectiveness of the initiative would depend on strong collaboration among federal and state governments, security agencies, healthcare providers and disaster management institutions, urging all stakeholders to demonstrate commitment to building a reliable emergency communication network capable of delivering timely assistance to Nigerians in distress.

Earlier, the Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, disclosed that the Commission has already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across the country as part of efforts to strengthen emergency call services.

He, however, noted that the centres require stronger support from state governments and emergency response agencies to remain fully functional and deliver prompt services.

Olorunnimbe called on state governors, the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other first responders to fully embrace the initiative, describing it as a national responsibility that could significantly improve emergency response and save lives.

“Everyone is expected to buy into this initiative and recognise its importance. It is a patriotic duty to our country to ensure that anyone in distress can get the help they need in a very swift manner”, he stated.