National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reinforced Nigeria’s disaster preparedness efforts with a full-scale flood simulation exercise (SIMEX) in Calabar, Cross River State, bringing together emergency response agencies, government institutions, humanitarian organisations and community stakeholders to test operational readiness and strengthen coordinated emergency response ahead of the peak of the rainy season.
The exercise, held under the 2026 National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign (NDPRC), marked the culmination of a two-day programme of stakeholders’ engagement, flood preparedness advocacy and practical emergency response activities designed to enhance disaster risk governance and build resilient communities.
Declaring the simulation exercise open, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, reaffirmed the commitment of the Cross River State Government to strengthening collaboration with NEMA and other stakeholders in disaster risk reduction.
He assured the Agency of the state’s continued support in promoting preparedness, protecting vulnerable communities and ensuring effective emergency response through sustained inter-agency cooperation.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by the Director of Internal Audit, Aliyu Waziri, said disaster preparedness remains the cornerstone of effective emergency management.
He noted that the simulation exercise was designed to evaluate emergency response plans, improve operational coordination and strengthen the capacity of responders to manage flood emergencies in a timely and coordinated manner. He commended the commitment of participating agencies and urged stakeholders to sustain collaboration in advancing disaster preparedness across the country.
The practical simulation featured coordinated search and rescue operations, evacuation of affected persons, emergency medical response, incident management and humanitarian coordination, providing responders with the opportunity to validate operational procedures under a realistic disaster scenario.
Giving the closing remarks, the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore B. A. Usman, commended all participating agencies and stakeholders for their professionalism and dedication throughout the exercise. He stressed that regular simulation exercises remain essential for identifying operational gaps, improving response mechanisms and enhancing the nation’s capacity to respond effectively to disasters.
The exercise brought together the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CRSEMA), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), military and paramilitary organisations, security agencies, fire and rescue services, health responders, humanitarian organisations, volunteers and community leaders, demonstrating a unified approach to disaster preparedness and emergency response.
The successful conduct of the exercise underscores NEMA’s commitment to strengthening disaster risk governance through preparedness, collaboration and continuous capacity building, while promoting a culture of early action to safeguard lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure across Nigeria.
