NEC MOVES TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE, OKAYS 112 AS LIFELINE

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the adoption of 112 as the National Emergency Number at all levels and across relevant agencies as part of measures to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency lifeline and build a unified and coordinated national response to emergencies.

Council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee and programme coordination led by the Office of the Vice President and National Communications Commission (NCC).

The approval was part of decisions taken against the 157th meeting of NEC held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Vice President said the 112 emergency lifeline had become necessary to prevent delay caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks, noting that what the citizens seek urgently when confronted by natural disaster or insecurity is an urgent response and not bureaucracy.

“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 stated.

Senator Shettima explained that while Nigeria is not beginning from zero, as the emergency number had been in existence, what is required at the moment “is coordination, adoption, standard operating procedures, public awareness, institutional ownership, and trust.”

He described NEC as the nation’s economic engine room, where the Federal Government and the states must convert the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into practical 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 and performs it with urgency,” the VP noted.

Urging Council members to focus on decisions that would have impact positively on the lives of Nigerians, VP Shettima said, “History will not ask how many meetings we held. It will ask what changed because we met.

“It will ask whether our decisions reached the farmer, the manufacturer, the artist, the investor, the accident victim, the unemployed graduate, and the child waiting to inherit the country we are rebuilding.”

NEC also received a presentation on the rehabilitation of Police Training institutions across the country from its adhoc committee led by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and commended the adhoc committee for the work done so far.

It also called on the Ministry of Finance to expedite the release of the balance of approved funds for the take-off of the project and urged the committee to ensure national spread by capturing training institutions in each geopolitical zone in the first phase of the intervention.

Other highlights of the meeting include:

UPDATE ON ACCOUNT BALANCES AS AT 27TH APRIL 2026

The update for the accountant balances was given to Council the Accountant General of the Federation on the direction of the Minister of Finance as follows:

Excess Crude Account                              $535,823.39

Stabilization Account                               N72,844,895,696.42

Natural Resources Account                      N158,192,972,997.04

PRESENTATION OF NEC ADHOC COMMITTEE ON ERADICATION OF POLIO IN NIGERIA BY GOVERNOR INUWA YAHAYA OF GOMBE STATE

Council received a presentation on the NEC ad hoc committee on the eradication of polio across the country.

Council noted the extensive work done and ongoing across the country, particularly the strengthening of political commitment and coordination in the fight to completely eradicate polio in Nigeria.

Most significantly, Council noted the update about the second group of 12 states comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, Kwara, and Nasarawa, who will initiate vaccination efforts from May 2.

Call to action:

1.⁠ ⁠The Committee respectfully requests that you direct your state health teams to deliver targeted support and oversight, ensuring that all eligible children are covered.

2.⁠ ⁠Additionally, please ensure they keep you regularly informed regarding the
progress of the campaign.

3.⁠ ⁠That the Chairman of Council, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, kindly approve the expansion of the Ad Hoc Committee on Polio from six to include seven additional high-risk states (Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa), ensuring full political oversight across all high-risk states.

The expansion will strengthen coordination, enhance accountability, and accelerate progress toward polio eradication.

Resolutions:

Council approved the expansion of the ad hoc committee to include seven additional high-risk states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa states, ensuring full political oversight across all high-risk states and strengthening of coordinated and enhanced accountability as well as accelerate progress toward polio eradication.

PRESENTATION ON RENEWED HOPE CULTURAL PROJECT AND NAIJA SEASON BY THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ARTS, CULTURE, TOURISM AND CREATIVE ECONOMY

The Council received a presentation from the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, titled “Addendum to NEC Approval for the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season.”

The presentation requested the release of catalytic funding for national implementation of the project.

It stressed that the Renewed Hope Cultural Project focuses on the preservation and restoration of historic sites, palaces, and monuments; capacity building; the establishment of Renewed Hope Creative and Cultural Villages; and the promotion of Nigerian culture and tourism assets across the country.

Council noted the point that Naija Season is Nigeria’s first unified national cultural and tourism calendar, designed to aggregate and promote the festivals, cultural events, tourism attractions, and creative economy activities of all 36 states and the FCT under one coordinated platform.

The Council was informed that the projected economic impact includes up to 1 million jobs by 2030; increased diaspora inflows, and a stronger global cultural influence.

Council was requested to approve the contribution of N200 million each by sub-nationals or any approved amount deemed fit, towards local execution and tourism activation, aimed at ensuring shared responsibility and shared benefits.

Resolutions:
Council approved the request for the contribution of N200 million each by sub-nationals towards local execution and tourism activation

Council also called for robust engagement with sub-nationals for actualization of the project.

DRIVING NIGERIA’S TRANSITION TO A DIGITALLY ENABLED, EXPORT-ORIENTED MANUFACTURING ECONOMY BY MINISTER OF STATE FOR INDUSTRY

Council was briefed on the industrial execution of the National Industrial Policy (NIP), 2025.

Council was informed that the finalized document underwent a rigorous validation process, including approval and adoption by the Federal Executive Council.

Council was further briefed that the NIP targets sectors with strong comparative advantages and high employment potential across several areas, including agro-allied industries, metals and solid minerals, oil and gas industrial activities, pharmaceuticals and medicals, as well as non-manufacturing activities.

Council was also informed that the Nigeria Industrial Cluster Programme (N-MICP) requires investment to develop the 76 clusters sampled, with the potential to generate total revenue of $2.74 billion over 25 years.

Resolution:

Council noted the presentation of the Minister of State for Industry and commended his efforts in revamping the national industrial ecosystem, particularly, the development of sub-national industrial policies to align state-level strategies with the NIP.

Stanley Nkwocha
Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications
(Office of The Vice President)
30th April, 2026