Vice President Kashim Shettima has directed the immediate activation of the Fusion and Trigger Room concept as a national platform for coordination and early action against flooding and other climate-related disasters across Nigeria.
The directive was issued during a meeting of the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where the Vice President emphasized the need to shift from reactive disaster response to proactive preparedness.
Shettima instructed the AATF, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other relevant agencies to review and update their budgets in line with approved allocations, establish clear implementation priorities, and accelerate the deployment of resources for flood preparedness.
According to the Vice President, the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters require a new approach focused on anticipation, coordination, and early intervention rather than emergency response after disasters occur.
He said the proposed Fusion and Trigger Room would serve as a central platform for monitoring hazards, forecasting risks, coordinating decisions, activating response triggers, and facilitating collaboration among government agencies.
Shettima also called on state governments to take ownership of disaster preparedness efforts within their jurisdictions, stressing that federal coordination alone would not be sufficient to address the growing threat of flooding.
The Vice President noted that resources approved for preparedness and early response must be released and deployed promptly, warning that administrative delays could undermine the effectiveness of anticipatory action measures.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, described the approval of funds for flood anticipatory action as a timely intervention and advocated for coordinated implementation through existing social registers and digital payment systems.
Also speaking, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, commended the Federal Government for approving funds for anticipatory flood action, describing the move as a demonstration of political commitment and national ownership.
NEMA Director-General, Zubaida Umar, said the intervention would help prevent loss of lives and livelihoods, noting that the agency had already issued early warning alerts and identified vulnerable communities.
The initiative follows the approval of an ₦83.2 billion intervention fund by the National Economic Council (NEC) to support anticipatory measures aimed at mitigating the impact of flooding across the country.
