FG Approves N166bn to Boost Data-Driven Disaster Preparedness by 2026

The Federal Government has approved N166 billion as a special intervention fund to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for data-driven disaster preparedness by 2026.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who disclosed this at the National Conference on Anticipatory Action in Nigeria, said the fund is intended to support anticipatory action—measures taken before disasters occur to reduce losses and protect vulnerable communities.

Speaking on the theme “Unlocking the Power of Data-Driven Anticipatory Action in Nigeria,” Shettima said government efforts are now focused on building a system where early-warning messages are not only issued but also heard, understood, and acted upon, especially in remote communities.

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice President confirmed that the National Economic Council has committed the N166 billion to implement the National Anticipatory Action Framework in 2026.

According to him, the investment includes upgrading national data-generating institutions, supporting climate-resilient agriculture, deploying machine-learning flood prediction tools such as IGNITIA, strengthening data-driven disaster management systems, and expanding community-led resilience programmes.

Shettima said the goal is to build a Nigeria that does not wait for emergencies to strike before responding.

He explained: “The Nigeria we are building will not wait helplessly for rescue. We will be a proactive nation, not reactive; resilient, not vulnerable. We will be a nation where no community is abandoned to rising waters, failed rains, or eroding livelihoods; a nation where innovation meets governance, and data meets compassion.”

The Vice President stressed that anticipatory action is more than a humanitarian tool; it represents a development pathway, a climate strategy, and a mark of governance strength.

He emphasised that accurate and timely data remains essential to reliable early-warning systems and proactive disaster financing.

“If we unlock the power of data-driven anticipatory action, we will build a Nigeria that withstands shocks, protects its citizens, and stands as a global model for resilience,” he added.

Shettima said the conference was convened to “chart a course that will redefine how Nigeria anticipates, prepares for, and responds to climate-related disasters,” signalling a shift toward national preparedness rooted in science and technology.

He added: “This is not simply a conference; it is a national reset on how we safeguard lives, livelihoods, and the future of our communities.

“Our reality: The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; Nigeria is already living the consequences.

“Floods sweeping through communities in over 26 states, year after year; drought shrinking agricultural yields in the Northeast and Northwest; cholera, meningitis, and vector-borne diseases rising with changing temperatures. Tens of thousands are displaced annually; families losing livelihoods to rising waters or failed rains.

“To the families affected, these are not ‘climate events’. They are life-altering emergencies. They determine whether or not a family eats, whether or not a child goes to school, whether or not a business survives, and whether or not communities remain stable. The climate crisis is not abstract. It is personal, immediate, and local.

“The opportunity before us: Turning predictability into protection. Amid this challenge lies an extraordinary opportunity. Around the world, Anticipatory Action (AA) has proven that if we act before a disaster hits, based on data, forecasting, and science, we save more lives, protect more livelihoods, and spend fewer resources.

“With accurate data, reliable early warning systems and proactive financing, we can: move families to safety before flooding; protect farms before drought damages seedlings; deliver cash support before households resort to negative coping strategies; strengthen local systems before they are overwhelmed.

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“This is common sense. It is smart economics. It is good governance. And, above all, it is humane leadership,” he added.

The Vice President highlighted the government’s partnership with the United Nations, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), donors, and other stakeholders in Adamawa State, noting that the programme has recorded significant success there.

“Their work shows that when data and proactive action meet, communities recover faster, cope better, and move forward with dignity,” he stated.

Shettima advised donors and partners to increase their investment in Anticipatory Action

He said: “Today, I call on both institutional and private donors: Now is the time to scale up anticipatory action financing in Nigeria. The window to act is narrow, the need is urgent, and the returns in lives saved and communities protected are extraordinary. Every naira or dollar spent before a crisis saves multiple times that amount after a crisis. This is not charity; this is strategic investment in stability, economic growth, and resilience for Africa’s largest nation.”

Shettima also called on all stakeholders to work collectively to enhance data collection and hydro-meteorological infrastructure, expand forecasting capacity through advanced analytics and machine-learning tools, develop accessible and reliable early warning systems, scale up climate-resilient agriculture and water management, and equip communities with the resources, financing and knowledge needed to take early action. He further urged the review and decentralisation of the National Anticipatory Action Framework across all states vulnerable to floods and other climate-related disasters.

Cautioning against a return to the traditional approach of reacting only after crises unfold, the Vice President stated: “We can no longer afford a response system where communities only receive help after devastation has occurred.”

The Country Director of International Rescue Committee, Nigeria, Babatunde Ojei, said: “Anticipatory Action is more than an innovation; it is a lifeline. It is the power to act before a crisis becomes a catastrophe. It is the power to protect before families lose everything. It is the power to prevent suffering before it begins.”

He therefore said the gathering was more than a conference; “it is a turning point for our country. A moment where science meets leadership, where data meets decisive action, and where Nigeria demonstrates to the world that we will not wait for disaster to strike before we protect our people.”

He added: “For too long, our nation has suffered the harsh reality of a changing climate: floods, droughts, displacement, crop failures, food insecurity, and loss of livelihoods. These crises are not statistics; they are the lived experiences of ordinary Nigerians — farmers, mothers, children, traders, and entire communities struggling to survive forces beyond their control. But today, gathered in this hall, is the collective intelligence, leadership, and commitment necessary to change that story.”