Nigeria has called for stronger mechanisms to ensure that early warning information translates into timely action to protect lives and livelihoods across Africa.
The call was made by a Nigerian representative at the Africa Early Warnings Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where governments, disaster management institutions and development partners met to strengthen people-centred early warning systems across the continent.
The Nigerian representative said for an early warning to become actionable, four critical elements must be clearly established before a disaster occurs.
These, according to the representative, are the trigger for action, the authority responsible for decision-making, the specific actions to be implemented, and the financing arrangements required to support such interventions.
The representative stressed that early warning is meaningful only when it leads to early action, noting that credible and timely information must be translated into coordinated decisions capable of protecting vulnerable communities.
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Nigeria, is strengthening coordination among relevant agencies as part of efforts to improve the country’s disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.
The agency is also working to downscale forecasts and early warning information to community level, conduct simulation exercises, integrate anticipatory action into disaster management systems and mobilise response resources ahead of emergencies.
These efforts are being implemented under Nigeria’s Early Warnings for All, EW4All, framework.
The agency is also reviewing key national frameworks, including the National Disaster Management Framework and the National Disaster Response Plan, to strengthen the country’s capacity to manage emerging disaster risks.
New instruments, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and the Disaster Risk Financing Framework, are also being developed to align Nigeria’s disaster management system with emerging risks and global best practices.