The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the development of a National Policy on Relief and Rehabilitation Interventions aimed at standardising the delivery of humanitarian assistance to persons affected by disasters across Nigeria.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day national stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Abuja, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the policy had become necessary to provide a coordinated and well-defined framework for relief and rehabilitation interventions nationwide.
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She explained that the proposed policy would establish clear guidelines for the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of relief and rehabilitation programmes, with the goal of improving the effectiveness of disaster response and recovery efforts.
According to the NEMA Director-General, the initiative is expected to enhance operational efficiency and ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches disaster-affected communities promptly while eliminating duplication and gaps in service delivery.
Mrs. Umar expressed appreciation to the World Bank for supporting the policy development process and emphasized that the contributions of stakeholders would be critical in producing a comprehensive and practical framework that addresses Nigeria’s humanitarian challenges.
Also speaking at the workshop, the World Bank’s Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Mr. Francis Nkoka, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting the development of the policy, describing the initiative as a major step toward strengthening disaster risk management and building a more resilient Nigeria.
He also commended the Director-General of NEMA for championing the initiative.
In his remarks, the Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Mr. David Stevenson, represented by the WFP Programme Officer, Mr. Akeem Ajibola, praised NEMA for initiating the policy development process. He noted that the framework would significantly improve the coordination and effectiveness of relief and rehabilitation interventions across the country.
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Earlier, NEMA’s Acting Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr. Abbani Imam Garki, said the workshop was convened to gather critical inputs from stakeholders to ensure the proposed national policy is practical, inclusive, and implementable.
The two-day consultative meeting brought together key stakeholders to contribute ideas and recommendations that will shape a national framework for more effective disaster relief and rehabilitation interventions in Nigeria.