By Nkechi Eze
The National Emergency Management Agency National Emergency Management Agency has expressed appreciation to the United States Forest Service United States Forest Service for resuming its capacity-building support aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness and response systems in Nigeria.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made the commendation during a meeting with officials of the United States Mission in Abuja and representatives of the USFS held at the agency’s headquarters on Thursday, 4 June 2026.
She noted that the renewed collaboration focuses on enhancing the capacity of personnel from NEMA and State Emergency Management Agencies in key operational areas, including Emergency Operations Centre management and the Incident Command System. According to her, previous training interventions facilitated by the USFS had significantly improved the effectiveness of emergency coordination structures in Nigeria, particularly in standardising response mechanisms during disasters.
Mrs. Umar further emphasized that sustained capacity development remains critical to strengthening national resilience and ensuring a more coordinated response to emergencies across the country.
Speaking at the meeting, the Team Lead from the United States Embassy, Mr. Murphy Opadotun of the Office of Humanitarian Assistance, alongside officials of the USFS, reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting disaster management and emergency response systems in Nigeria.
The engagement reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between NEMA and the United States Government, through the USFS, in enhancing institutional capacity and improving emergency coordination frameworks nationwide.
