The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has unveiled a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s fire safety sector, aiming to eliminate substandard equipment from the market while creating more than 150,000 jobs for Nigeria's youth.

The project, titled the ‘Nigeria Fire Extinguisher Control’ (NFEC) initiative, is a collaborative effort with the Federal Fire Service under the leadership of Controller General Olumode Adeyemi.

It seeks to overhaul the regulation, distribution, and maintenance of fire safety tools across the federation.

Describing the current proliferation of fake, expired, and poorly maintained extinguishers as a “long-standing threat to public safety,” the Minister warned that many citizens remain vulnerable to emergencies because of defective equipment.

“Many Nigerians unknowingly purchase defective equipment that fails during emergencies, often with devastating consequences,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He noted that the NFEC will introduce a rigorous regulatory framework to ensure every extinguisher in circulation is certified, traceable, and subject to professional maintenance.

He observed that Beyond immediate safety benefits, the reform is positioned as a significant economic driver.

By transitioning the sector from informal, unregulated roadside servicing to a professionalised industry, the government expects to generate over 150,000 direct jobs. These roles will span the entire value chain, including certified production, distribution, professional installation, and technical servicing.

Key features of the reform include digital traceability, a tracking system to monitor equipment from the point of manufacture to its end use, professional certification and replacing unregulated vendors with trained specialists to ensure technical standards are met.

Others are revenue protection through the closing of financial loopholes by formalising the fire safety market.

The initiative is also designed to foster deeper synergy between federal and state fire services, focusing on public education and emergency preparedness.

By standardising safety protocols, the government aims to restore public confidence in emergency response tools. (The Guardian)

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