Head of the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Office (EU-ECHO) in Nigeria, Mr. Alexandre Castellano, visited the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, at NEMA’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Accompanied by Mr. Zizzimos Vergos, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, and Ms. Comfort Agwu, EU-ECHO Programme Officer, Mr. Castellano noted that the visit aimed to strengthen EU-ECHO’s partnership with NEMA and State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) to enhance humanitarian aid for disaster-affected people in Nigeria.
During the meeting, Mr. Castellano praised Nigeria’s Federal Government for establishing NEMA as the lead agency in disaster management, noting that EU-ECHO serves a similar role in coordinating civil protection efforts within the European Union.
He highlighted EU-ECHO’s commitment to international disaster response, often working with EU member states’ Civil Protection Departments.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, expressed appreciation for the EU’s support.
She shared details of NEMA’s ongoing work in managing the 2024 flood disaster, noting that the initial floods in northern Nigeria have gradually moved southward as river waters flow downstream.
She stated that NEMA’s rescue teams have been deployed in affected states and are actively providing assistance.
