NEC Adopts 112 as Nigeria’s National Emergency Number to Boost Rapid Response
The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s national emergency number across all levels of government and relevant agencies, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s emergency response system and ensuring faster, more coordinated interventions during crises.
The Council also approved the establishment of a multi agency implementation and programme coordination committee, to be led by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to drive the rollout and harmonisation of the initiative nationwide.
The decision was reached at the 157th meeting of NEC, held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Speaking at the meeting, Shettima emphasised that the adoption of a unified emergency number is critical to eliminating delays caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks. He noted that citizens facing emergencies such as natural disasters or insecurity require immediate assistance, not administrative hurdles.
“This is not only a technical reform. It is a test of the state’s humanity. In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence, or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy.
“They need response. 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,” he said.
The Vice President explained that while Nigeria already has emergency contact systems in place, the current priority is to ensure effective coordination, standardisation, public awareness, institutional ownership, and trust across all agencies involved.
He described NEC as the nation’s economic engine room, stressing that both federal and state governments must work together to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into tangible outcomes.
“We cannot build our way to a one trillion dollar economy by federal effort alone. We cannot create millions of jobs by speeches alone. We cannot expand exports, attract investment, secure communities, or unlock productivity unless every tier of government understands its role,” he added.
In a related decision, the Council directed the Ministry of Finance to release approved funds for the rehabilitation of police training institutions, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and improve institutional capacity.
The adoption of 112 is expected to unify emergency reporting nationwide, providing citizens with a single, reliable point of contact during crises and enhancing the speed and effectiveness of response services.