The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has initiated discussions with the National Institute for Sports (NIS) aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness, safety management, and disaster risk reduction across sporting facilities in Nigeria.
The move followed a courtesy visit by a LASEMA delegation led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, to the Lagos campus of the National Institute for Sports, where both institutions explored avenues for technical collaboration on safety consciousness, incident response, and capacity building within the sports sector.
Speaking during the visit, the Director-General of the National Institute for Sports, Dr. Philip Shaibu, lauded LASEMA’s achievements in emergency and disaster management, describing Lagos State as a benchmark for effective crisis response and public safety management.
He recalled previous visits to the state to understudy its traffic and emergency management systems, noting that Lagos remains a model worthy of emulation due to its population density and operational complexities.
Dr. Shaibu disclosed that the Institute is currently undergoing major reforms aimed at repositioning it as a centre of excellence in sports education and administration.
According to him, the reforms include the revival of abandoned infrastructure projects, curriculum reviews to align with industry demands, staff capacity development initiatives, and the introduction of new academic programmes in Physiotherapy and Paramedics.
He emphasized the importance of safety in sports administration, noting that the proposed partnership with LASEMA would significantly improve the Institute’s ability to manage medical emergencies and disaster situations in training facilities, stadiums, and sporting competitions.”
Safety of athletes, officials, and spectators remains paramount. Collaborating with LASEMA will enable us to strengthen emergency response mechanisms and build a culture of preparedness within sporting environments,” Shaibu stated.
In his remarks, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu reaffirmed LASEMA’s statutory responsibility as the coordinating agency for emergency planning, mitigation, preparedness, and response in Lagos State.
He noted that the Agency has consistently pursued strategic partnerships with academic and professional institutions to advance knowledge-driven disaster management practices.
According to him, sporting venues often host large gatherings and high-intensity activities that present unique safety challenges, making proactive emergency planning essential.”
The essence of this engagement is to establish a mutually beneficial partnership with the National Institute for Sports.
Through collaboration, we can institutionalize preparedness measures, strengthen early warning systems, and promote rapid emergency response frameworks within the sports sector across the country,” he said.
The LASEMA Permanent Secretary also commended Dr. Shaibu for his contributions to emergency management during his tenure at the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EDOSEMA), expressing confidence that his wealth of experience would enhance the success of the proposed collaboration.
As part of the discussions, both organisations identified key areas for technical cooperation.
These include joint training programmes on first aid, crowd management, and emergency response for coaches, athletes, and sports administrators; infrastructure safety audits of NIS facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones; enhancement of the Institute’s newly introduced Paramedics programme through LASEMA’s operational expertise and Bravo Medical Unit; and the development of safety policies and standards for sporting events in line with international best practices.
Dr. Shaibu further disclosed that NIS is expanding its network of partnerships with national and international sporting organisations, including ongoing engagements with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
He also highlighted the Institute’s adoption of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative to improve access to education and training opportunities for students.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen safety culture in Nigeria’s sports sector and contribute significantly to the protection of lives and property during sporting activities nationwide.
Written by Yemisi Dada