The Federal Government has urged wealthy Nigerians, philanthropists, business leaders and corporate organisations to support the establishment of fire stations across the country, stressing that fire safety is a collective responsibility.
The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Adeyemi Samuel Olumode, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a One-Day National Stakeholders’ Summit on Fire Safety.
The Service also inducted 37 Public Relations Officers (PROs) from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Speaking on the theme, “Building a Resilient Fire Service for the 21st Century,” Adeyemi said Nigeria required more strategically positioned fire stations to bring emergency services closer to communities and shorten response times.
He pointed to the Offa Descendant Association Fire Station, Oyo Town Fire Station, Idanre Fire Station, Bonny Island Fire Station and Kugbo Fire Station as examples of the impact that individuals, communities and organisations could make by investing directly in public safety.
According to him, such contributions should be viewed as investments in the protection of lives and property rather than simply acts of philanthropy.
The Controller General noted that the summit coincided with the first anniversary of his assumption of office on 14 August 2025. He said the occasion offered an opportunity to assess the Service’s progress over the past year.
Among the achievements he highlighted were the rehabilitation of 40 firefighting appliances, provision of two modern firefighting appliances and more than 2,000 pieces of personal protective equipment.
He added that over 700 cadet officers had received basic firefighting training and had subsequently been deployed to various commands.
Adeyemi said the Service had also expanded its specialised capabilities through counter-terrorism training conducted in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the armed forces.
He further disclosed that efforts were ongoing to upgrade the National Fire Academy, which he said would become Africa’s best firefighter training institution when it reopens.
On the induction of the PROs, Adeyemi described the exercise as historic, noting that it was the first time officers from all 36 states and the FCT had been assembled for coordinated and structured training aimed at professional recognition and certification.
“This is much more than issuing certificates. We are professionalising the way the Federal Fire Service communicates with Nigerians. Our PROs must understand strategic communication, crisis communication, media relations, stakeholder engagement, public education, reputation management and the challenges created by misinformation, particularly during emergencies,” he said.
He stressed that fire incidents were not merely operational emergencies but also communication events, noting that public trust was essential to the Service’s ability to protect lives and property.
The Controller General commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its partnership on fire safety in tertiary institutions.
He also acknowledged the Tony Elumelu Foundation for collaborating with the Service on fire safety preparedness training for 7,740 Nigerians, with plans to extend the initiative to 10 people in every local government area.
Adeyemi further appreciated the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and Rightangle PR for helping to strengthen the Service’s communication capabilities, as well as government and private-sector partners and members of the media.
He urged members of the public to support emergency responders by providing fire appliances with clear access routes, avoiding unnecessary crowds at incident scenes and sharing only verified information during emergencies.
