Lagos Residents To Benefit As FG Moves To Launch Unified 112 Emergency Line

By Emmanuel Daniji

For millions of Lagos residents, getting help during an accident, fire outbreak, medical crisis or security emergency could soon become simpler, as the Federal Government moves to establish 112 as Nigeria’s single universal emergency number.

The development is expected to particularly affect Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub and one of the country’s busiest urban centres, where emergencies can involve multiple agencies including the police, fire service, ambulance services and road safety officials.

Rather than trying to remember different numbers or determine which agency to contact in the middle of a crisis, residents would be able to dial 112 and have their emergency directed to the appropriate response agency.

The Federal Government has now directed relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive operational roadmap for the nationwide rollout of the service.

The directive was given by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting on the National Emergency Number 112 Project.

A committee comprising the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant agencies has been constituted to finalise the operational roadmap and standard operating procedures for the system.

The documents will subsequently be presented for formal endorsement by the National Economic Council (NEC).

NEC had earlier approved 112 as Nigeria’s single universal toll-free emergency number, replacing the fragmented emergency response system in which citizens often have to identify and contact different agencies depending on the nature of the emergency.

For a Lagos resident involved in a serious road accident, witnessing a fire or facing a security threat, the proposed system could remove the pressure of deciding which emergency agency to call first.

Inspector General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu said the Nigeria Police Force fully supports the adoption of 112 as the country’s unified emergency number.

He explained that emergencies such as armed attacks, accidents, fire outbreaks, medical crises and kidnapping often require immediate intervention, making it important for citizens to have a single point of access.

According to him, when someone is confronted with a life-threatening situation, the first challenge should not be determining which agency to call.

The government believes the unified system will reduce bureaucratic delays and improve coordination among agencies responding to emergencies.

Earlier, Personal Assistant to the President on e-Governance in the Office of the Vice President, Mrs Lydia Aina, said Nigeria’s emergency response system currently operates across several agencies, systems and jurisdictions.

She noted that this has created fragmentation in the way emergencies are received, coordinated and responded to.

The government’s objective, she said, is to move from the existing fragmented system to a coordinated response structure and eventually establish a fully integrated national emergency framework.

For Lagos, where the sheer volume of traffic and population means emergency responders often have to deal with multiple incidents simultaneously, the success of the 112 system could depend not only on having a single number but also on how quickly calls are received, verified and transferred to the right responders.

The Federal Government has therefore tasked the committee with developing clear operating procedures based on global best practices before the system is fully rolled out nationwide.

If successfully implemented, 112 could give Lagos residents and other Nigerians a simpler way to summon emergency assistance when every second counts.