The Federal Government has unveiled a major national fire safety capacity-building initiative following a new partnership between the Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF and the Federal Fire Service, which will see 7,400 Nigerians trained in fire-prevention and emergency-response skills across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The collaboration was sealed during a courtesy call on the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu, by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode, who led senior management officers to the meeting.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, DCF Paul Abraham, in a statement said the Service also used the engagement to formally investiture United Capital Plc Group CEO, Mr. Peter Ashade, as a National Fire Safety Ambassador, citing “the Heirs Group’s significant contributions to enhancing safety consciousness and advancing community-focused fire safety initiatives nationwide.”
As part of the expanded partnership, fire service personnel will now be deployed across all infrastructures under the Tony Elumelu business portfolio to “support compliance, strengthen safety monitoring, and enhance fire prevention awareness.”
Mr Elumelu stressed the urgency of deepening grassroots awareness, warning that “thousands of households, local markets and indigenous settlements remain vulnerable due to limited access to structured fire prevention education.”
He said empowering citizens with practical knowledge would “significantly improve national resilience and reduce both the frequency and severity of fire outbreaks.”
Under the programme, the Federal Fire Service will train 200 persons in every state and the FCT, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 7,400. The curriculum will cover essential fire-prevention skills, early-warning practices, emergency response techniques, and the grooming of participants to become community-level fire-safety advocates.
Controller General Olumode described the initiative as a “milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward a more preventive approach to fire management,” expressing appreciation to Mr. Elumelu and the Foundation for championing a model that aligns with global best practices.
He assured that the Service would deliver the nationwide training “with professionalism, transparency, and measurable impact across all zones.”
According to the statement, the programme is expected to deepen grassroots preparedness, enhance first-response capacity, and promote a sustainable culture of fire safety across Nigerian communities.
