In a major move to strengthen emergency response across the country, Nigeria’s apex economic policy body, the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved 112 as the official national emergency number, to be adopted across all states and relevant agencies.
The decision, taken at the Council’s 157th virtual meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, is aimed at eliminating delays caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensuring faster, coordinated responses to emergencies nationwide.
According to the Vice President, the initiative is not just a policy shift but a critical step toward saving lives in times of crisis.
“In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence, or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy. They need response,” Shettima stated.
“They need to know one number to call, one system to trust, and one coordinated chain of action that moves quickly enough to save lives.”
To ensure effective implementation, NEC also approved the creation of a multi-agency committee to drive coordination, with key oversight from the Office of the Vice President and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Shettima noted that while emergency numbers already exist in parts of the country, the challenge has been lack of coordination, public awareness, and institutional ownership.
“What we need now is coordination, standard procedures, public awareness, and trust,” he added.
The Council emphasized that the unified 112 emergency line will serve as a single point of contact for Nigerians facing crises, including security threats, accidents, medical emergencies, and natural disasters.
Beyond emergency response, NEC also reviewed progress on the rehabilitation of police training institutions nationwide. The Council commended the committee led by Governor Peter Mbah and urged the Ministry of Finance to expedite the release of funds for the project.
The initiative is expected to improve public safety infrastructure and reinforce confidence in Nigeria’s emergency and security response systems.
