FG Considers 112 As National Emergency Line

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for the adoption and implementation of 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency telephone number.

Naija News reports that Shettima, however, warned that the initiative would not achieve its purpose without the full commitment of state governments, security agencies, ambulance services and other emergency response organisations across the country.

The Vice President issued the directive on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation from the NCC at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The delegation was led by the Chairman of the commission’s Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe.

The directive followed the National Economic Council’s approval of adopting 112 as Nigeria’s unified emergency number.

NEC had also constituted a multi-agency implementation committee to be coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the NCC.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, disclosed details of the meeting in a statement titled, ‘FG, Governors, Responders to Finalise Plan on 112 Emergency Call Initiative.’

Shettima instructed the NCC to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency in developing the implementation framework.

He said NEMA’s experience in disaster management, emergency relief and rehabilitation would be critical to the successful operation of the unified emergency communication system.

The Vice President also assured the NCC delegation that the government would mobilise the necessary funding through the National Economic Council and private sector participation.

He called for sustained engagement with governors and senior officials of emergency response agencies to secure their support for the project.

According to Shettima, the unified emergency number must not be treated merely as a telecommunications initiative, but as a national public safety programme requiring cooperation across all levels of government.

He warned that establishing a central emergency number without strengthening the agencies responsible for responding to distress calls would render the project ineffective.

Speaking during the meeting, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres across the country.

He explained that the centres were developed using technology designed to provide the foundation for a coordinated national emergency response system.

According to him, the major challenge remaining is securing stronger commitment from state governors and all agencies responsible for responding to emergencies.

Olorunnimbe said, “In addition, we also need the full commitment of all response agencies because if someone calls for police intervention and, for some reason, the call does not reach the police, that person will not receive the help they need.”

He stressed that every organisation in the emergency response chain must be prepared to act promptly whenever distress calls are received.

Olorunnimbe added, “We need commitment at every level of all response agencies, from top to bottom, including the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services across the states, and at the national level, the National Emergency Management Agency.

“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.”

One Number For All Emergencies

The 112 emergency number is expected to replace Nigeria’s fragmented emergency communication system, under which security agencies, state governments, hospitals and other institutions operate separate telephone lines.

Many of the existing emergency numbers are either difficult for members of the public to remember or unavailable when urgent assistance is required.

Under the proposed arrangement, Nigerians experiencing emergencies will be able to dial 112 and have their calls immediately transferred to the appropriate response agency.

Depending on the nature and location of the incident, calls could be routed to the police, ambulance services, fire authorities, NEMA or other relevant emergency responders.

The initiative is modelled on emergency communication systems used in the European Union and several other countries, in which a single number connects residents to various emergency services.