The Federal Government has begun fresh efforts to implement 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency telephone number, with plans to work closely with state governments, emergency agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the system is fully operational across the country.
The initiative is aimed at creating a unified emergency response system that will allow Nigerians to reach police, ambulance, fire and disaster response services through one toll-free number during emergencies.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.
According to the statement, the move followed a meeting between the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, and a delegation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting came just days after the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by the Vice President, approved the adoption of 112 as the country’s single emergency telephone number for use by all levels of government and emergency response agencies.
The approval forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to establish a coordinated national emergency response system capable of delivering faster and more efficient services to citizens during crises.
During the meeting, Shettima directed the NCC to prepare a clear roadmap for implementing the initiative nationwide.
He also instructed the commission to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen coordination among emergency response organisations across the country.
According to the statement, the Vice President assured the NCC that the Federal Government would ensure the project is sustained.
He said funding for the initiative would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and support from the private sector.
“The Vice President also called for high-level engagement and commitment from emergency responders to drive the successful implementation of the 112 initiative,” the statement said.
Shettima stressed that the success of the programme would depend on the commitment of all stakeholders, including state governments, security agencies and emergency service providers.
He noted that effective emergency communication saves lives and remains an important part of public safety in every modern society.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Chief Olorunnimbe, said the commission had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres across the country to support the initiative.
However, he said stronger cooperation from state governments and emergency agencies was needed to ensure the facilities remain functional and effective.
According to him, emergency communication centres can only perform efficiently when all relevant organisations are fully integrated into the system and work together.
He identified state governments, the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services and the National Emergency Management Agency as critical partners in making the project successful.
He said every agency involved in emergency response must see the initiative as a national responsibility because it is designed to save lives.
“Everyone is expected to buy into this initiative and recognise its importance. It is a patriotic duty to our country to ensure that anyone in distress can get the help they need in a very swift manner,” Olorunnimbe said.
He explained that the introduction of a single emergency number would make it easier for Nigerians to seek help without trying to remember different telephone numbers for different agencies.
Under the proposed arrangement, a call made to 112 would be routed to the appropriate emergency service depending on the nature of the incident.
This could include police intervention in cases of crime, ambulance services for medical emergencies, fire service responses to fire outbreaks or disaster management agencies during floods, building collapses and other emergencies.
Emergency communication experts have long argued that a single emergency number improves response time by simplifying access to emergency services and reducing delays that may occur when victims struggle to identify the correct agency to contact.
Many countries around the world operate unified emergency telephone systems.
For example, the United States and Canada use 911, while most European countries operate 112 as their common emergency number.
The adoption of a single number has helped improve coordination among emergency responders and increased public awareness of how to seek urgent assistance.
Nigeria has over the years introduced emergency communication centres in several states, but experts have observed that public awareness remains low, while operational challenges such as inadequate funding, poor inter-agency coordination and technical limitations have affected their effectiveness.
Some emergency calls have also suffered delays because agencies often operate separate communication systems, making coordination difficult during major incidents.
The latest move by the Federal Government is expected to address many of these challenges by creating a central communication platform linking all emergency service providers.
The National Economic Council’s recent approval of the initiative also reflects growing recognition of the need for closer collaboration between the Federal Government and the states on emergency management.
The council, which comprises state governors, the Vice President and other key government officials, plays an important role in coordinating policies affecting both federal and state governments.
Officials believe the involvement of governors will be critical because many emergency services, including ambulances and fire services, are managed by state governments.
Successful implementation of the initiative will therefore depend on strong cooperation between federal agencies, state governments and local emergency responders.
The government also hopes that support from the private sector will help provide the funding and technology needed to sustain the emergency communication system over the long term.
As preparations continue, the Federal Government is expected to engage governors, emergency response agencies and other stakeholders to finalise operational guidelines before the nationwide rollout of 112 as Nigeria’s official emergency telephone number.