The Federal Government is seeking to decentralise fire protection and emergency response services across Nigeria by expanding the Federal Fire Service’s operational mandate, establishing community-level fire outposts and strengthening professional training to address gaps in the country’s emergency response system.

The proposed reforms will be anchored on a new legislative framework to replace the existing Fire Service Act, which is more than 60 years old and, according to the government, no longer provides adequate legal backing for the expanding responsibilities of the service.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the 2026 National Fire Safety Week and Stakeholders’ Conference, where he said the government was determined to reposition the Federal Fire Service from an agency primarily focused on firefighting into a broader emergency rescue institution.

The move comes as the government seeks to improve fire prevention, reduce emergency response times and extend access to professional fire protection beyond major urban centres through stronger community participation and investment in emergency infrastructure.

Tunji-Ojo said the existing legislation had become a constraint to the service’s ability to respond effectively to contemporary emergencies, stressing that operational responsibilities must be supported by appropriate legal provisions.

“No matter how good an action is, if the law does not empower you to do it, it becomes illegal,” he said.

He explained that the proposed law would provide the legal foundation for expanding the service’s responsibilities to cover rescue operations and other emergency response activities, while strengthening its institutional capacity.

The Minister also identified prevention, public education and community-level preparedness as critical components of the government’s fire safety strategy.

He called for more rigorous fire safety inspections and enforcement of building safety codes, arguing that preventing fire outbreaks should receive as much attention as responding to emergencies after they occur.

He also advocated the deployment of trained fire marshals across districts and communities, alongside the introduction of basic rescue techniques and life-saving skills into school curricula at all levels.

According to him, equipping citizens with elementary emergency response knowledge, including resuscitation techniques, would help reduce casualties by enabling communities to provide immediate assistance before professional responders arrive.

The minister urged the Federal Fire Service to collaborate with educational institutions to make basic life-saving skills part of formal learning, noting that emergency preparedness should not be left exclusively to government agencies.

Earlier, Olumode Adeyemi, Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service, said the agency was pursuing the establishment of mini fire outposts to bring emergency response services closer to communities and reduce the distance firefighters must cover when responding to incidents.

He said the initiative was part of a broader effort to decentralise fire protection and ensure that emergency services were not concentrated in major cities.

Adeyemi disclosed that the service was working with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to expand its presence across local government areas, while its partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) was aimed at improving fire safety infrastructure in public tertiary institutions.

The service is also working with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to improve firefighting preparedness among ordinary Nigerians.

According to the comptroller-general, the partnerships are intended to strengthen institutional capacity while encouraging communities and private organisations to participate in financing and developing fire safety infrastructure.

He cited the Offa Descendant Association, the chairman of Bonny Island Local Government, Alhaji Daud Tijani Igi-Ogun, in Oyo town, and Hon. Festus Akingbaso in Idanre, Ondo State, among individuals and groups that had supported the establishment of fire stations.

He said the beneficiaries had provided land, financed the design and construction of facilities under the supervision of the Federal Fire Service and subsequently donated them to the agency.

Adeyemi urged corporate organisations, property developers, philanthropists and community associations to support similar initiatives, describing investment in fire safety infrastructure as essential to protecting lives, property and economic activities.

The government is also investing in specialised training infrastructure to support the proposed expansion of firefighting and rescue operations.

Tunji-Ojo disclosed that the National Fire Academy, located on approximately 23 hectares of land in Sheda, Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, was 85 percent complete and expected to be ready before the end of the year.

The facility is designed to accommodate more than 3,000 trainees at a time and will include drill towers, classrooms, a library, a training centre, a health centre and hostel accommodation.

He said the academy would be powered by solar energy, while its accompanying fire hydrant facility was expected to be completed by December.

The minister said the facility would be commissioned after completion and serve as a dedicated institution for professional training and capacity development within the service.

Adeyemi also disclosed that the Federal Fire Service was reconstructing the National Fire Academy to provide structured training for fire marshals, fire wardens and volunteer firefighters.

He said the strategy would help expand the country’s firefighting workforce by developing community-based volunteers without creating a corresponding financial burden on government.

Adeyemi said the 2026 National Fire Safety Week, themed “Building a Fire-Resilient Nigeria: One Community at a Time,” was designed to strengthen public awareness and encourage Nigerians to take greater responsibility for preventing fire outbreaks.

He said the service would conduct simultaneous fire safety awareness campaigns across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the week-long programme.

The campaigns would include sensitisation activities at motor parks, schools and markets, roadshows and the distribution of fire safety information materials.

The service also plans to unveil the 2026 National Fire Safety Week logo and fire safety booklets translated into Nigerian indigenous languages to improve public understanding of fire prevention measures.

Adeyemi said communicating safety information in languages understood by local communities was necessary to ensure that preventive knowledge reached Nigerians across different locations and social groups.

The event would also recognise individuals and organisations that had demonstrated commitment to improving fire safety in their communities.

The comptroller-general said the draws for the second edition of the Controller-General of Fire Cup would also take place as part of efforts to promote inter-agency collaboration, camaraderie and healthy competition.

He urged Nigerians to adopt basic preventive measures, including the safe handling of electrical appliances, proper use of cooking equipment, responsible storage of flammable materials and prompt reporting of potential fire hazards.

He said building a fire-resilient country would require sustained public education, investment in emergency infrastructure and stronger community participation beyond the annual fire safety campaign.