The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, hosted a high-level consultative meeting with the technical team working on the development of Nigeria’s Food and Nutrition Security Crisis Preparedness Plan (FNSCPP).
The session, held at NEMA Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of nationwide consultations aimed at building a robust, anticipatory response system to food and nutrition insecurity.
The visiting team, led by Dr. Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, included representatives from the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security; Budget and Economic Planning; Health and Social Welfare; and Finance.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, welcomed the delegation and underscored the urgency of transitioning from reactive emergency responses to proactive, data-driven strategies. “Nigeria is at a critical juncture in its food security landscape. We must shift from reactive to anticipatory models. This collaboration presents a pathway toward a more structured, timely, and impactful system of intervention,” she said.
Dr. Tilley-Gyado emphasized the strategic role of NEMA in the national framework, citing its operational reach and coordination mandate. She described the plan as a long-term preparedness blueprint, stressing the importance of timely action once warning indicators are triggered. “This is not just about mobilizing funds. It’s about building the right systems, triggers, and institutional clarity,” she noted.
She also disclosed that Nigeria has met key criteria to access crisis response financing, but emphasized that such access depends on having a clear, functional response architecture in place.
Discussions at the meeting centered on three key priorities:
- Integrating early warning systems into national emergency operations,
- Establishing standard crisis escalation protocols, and
- Aligning Federal, State, and community-level structures for effective planning and response.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to harmonize efforts, avoid duplication, and ensure that interventions reach the most vulnerable populations impacted by conflict and climate-induced food insecurity.
