NEC adopts 112 as national emergency number
…Shettima says citizens need response, not bureaucracy …council orders release of funds for police training institutions The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s unified
...Shettima says citizens need response, not bureaucracy
...council orders release of funds for police training institutions
The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s unified national emergency number, in a major step to strengthen coordinated response to disasters and security incidents across the country.
The decision was taken at the 157th NEC meeting held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to drive the rollout and standardisation of the emergency response system nationwide.
Addressing council members, the Vice President stressed that the reform was aimed at eliminating bureaucratic delays in emergency situations, insisting that citizens require immediate response rather than administrative bottlenecks during crises.
“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,” Shettima said.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima noted that while the 112 emergency number already exists, the priority now is to ensure proper coordination, institutional ownership, public awareness and trust in the system.
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The Vice President described NEC as the country’s economic engine room, urging federal and state governments to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu into tangible outcomes that directly impact citizens.
“History will not ask how many meetings we held. It will ask what changed because we met,” he said, calling for decisions that would positively affect Nigerians across all sectors.
In a related development, NEC directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to expedite the release of approved funds for the rehabilitation of police training institutions nationwide.
The directive followed a presentation by an ad hoc committee led by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.
Council commended the committee’s progress so far and urged it to ensure equitable national spread by covering institutions across all geopolitical zones in the first phase.
On public health, NEC approved the expansion of its ad hoc committee on polio eradication to include seven additional high-risk states; Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa, to strengthen coordination and accountability in the immunisation campaign.
The Council also received updates on vaccination efforts, noting that a second batch of 12 states would commence immunisation from May 2 as part of intensified efforts to eradicate the disease.
In the culture and tourism sector, NEC approved a request for sub-national governments to contribute N200 million each towards the implementation of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season, a national initiative aimed at promoting Nigeria’s cultural assets and tourism potential.
The Council was informed that the initiative could generate up to one million jobs by 2030, boost diaspora inflows and enhance Nigeria’s global cultural footprint.
Additionally, NEC reviewed progress on the National Industrial Policy (2025), which targets key sectors such as agro-allied industries, solid minerals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing clusters to drive export-oriented growth.
Council noted that the Nigeria Industrial Cluster Programme has the potential to generate $2.74 billion in revenue over 25 years, commending efforts to align sub-national industrial policies with national objectives.
Meanwhile, NEC also received updates on the country’s financial buffers, with balances in the Excess Crude Account standing at $535,823.39, the Stabilisation Account at N72.84 billion, and the Natural Resources Account at N158.19 billion as of April 27, 2026.
