The Federal Fire Service has announced a major national capacity-building plan after securing a partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to train 7,400 Nigerians on fire safety preparedness across the country. The announcement followed a courtesy visit to Tony O. Elumelu in Abuja, where the Controller General, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode, led senior officers to discuss the programme.
During the engagement, the Service also decorated Peter Ashade, Group CEO of United Capital Plc, as a National Fire Safety Ambassador in recognition of contributions made by the Heirs Group toward improving safety awareness. The Service noted that this honour supports the growing partnership between the Federal Fire Service and the Tony Elumelu ecosystem.
Tony Elumelu highlighted the urgent need to improve community fire safety understanding, noting that many households, markets, and rural communities remain exposed because they lack structured fire prevention education. He said empowering citizens with practical knowledge will help reduce the frequency and impact of fire incidents and improve national resilience. According to the agreement, the Federal Fire Service will train 200 persons in each state and the Federal Capital Territory, making a total of 7,400 beneficiaries nationwide.
The programme will teach essential fire-prevention skills, early detection practices, and basic emergency response steps. Participants will also become community-level fire safety advocates expected to spread awareness and promote responsible safety habits across their local areas. The Controller General described the partnership as a significant step toward shifting Nigeria from a reactive to a preventive fire management approach. He expressed appreciation to Tony Elumelu and the Foundation, saying the commitment supports global best practices and strengthens nationwide preparedness.
The initiative is expected to improve grassroots preparedness, strengthen first-response capacity, and encourage long-term safety-conscious behaviour in communities across Nigeria. The Federal Fire Service said the collaboration demonstrates its commitment to reducing fire incidents and supporting national development. In addition to the nationwide training, the partnership includes the deployment of Federal Fire Service personnel across infrastructures within Tony Elumelu’s business network to support compliance and strengthen safety monitoring. Officials say this move will reduce risks in high-traffic locations and establish a stronger standard for private-sector participation in fire safety.
Officials explained that placing trained officers within these facilities will boost monitoring and improve emergency readiness. They added that the collaboration aligns with global safety standards and supports efforts to build stronger, safer communities across all zones of the federation in Nigeria.
