The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) organized a one day workshop on the roles of social media and broadcast houses in disaster risk communication for Kano and Jigawa state stakeholders.
NEMA emphasized the critical role of the media and digital platforms in saving lives during emergencies, urging greater collaboration, strategic messaging, and timely dissemination of alerts to vulnerable populations.
Speaking at a workshop in Kano, Dr. Nura Abdullahi, NEMA’s Kano Zonal Coordinator, highlighted that disaster communication extends beyond weather forecasts and flood alerts.
According to him, it includes health outbreak updates, fire safety education, and evacuation notices of all of which must be clear, accurate, and culturally sensitive.
“This workshop is designed to empower media practitioners with the tools to transform technical alerts into relatable messages,” Dr. Abdullahi said.
“Whether it’s a radio jingle, a tweet, or a WhatsApp voice note, how we communicate often determines whether the public listens and takes action.”
He described journalists and media professionals as frontliners in disaster management, not just messengers.
“You are educators, mobilizers, and sometimes lifesavers,” he said, stressing that disaster preparedness cannot rest solely on the government.
“It is a collective responsibility involving civil society, traditional institutions, the private sector, and above all, the people.”
Highlighting the power and reach of digital platforms, Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi, a communication expert from PR Nigeria, described social media as a double-edged sword that enables instant, affordable, and participatory communication but also poses significant risks due to its largely unregulated nature.
“While social media platforms offer real-time information sharing and coordination, they also allow misinformation, manipulation, and anonymity to thrive,” Madobi noted.
“This makes it critical to ensure that the right information is verified and disseminated responsibly.”
He illustrated the immense reach of social media by comparing it with traditional media, noting that while radio took eight years to reach 50 million users globally, Facebook did it in less than a year.
He called for responsible use of the digital space to combat misinformation and boost public trust in emergency communication.
Also speaking, Isiyaku Kubarachi, Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), underscored the urgency of the workshop given the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) released by NIMET and NIHSA.
He said the forecasts underscore the importance of equipping media and social media actors with the skills to communicate risks effectively.
“In today’s digital age, where science and technology shape our lives, social media and broadcasting houses are indispensable in reducing disaster impact,” Kubarachi stated.
He praised the coordination among NEMA, NIMET, NIHSA, local governments, and media partners, while expressing appreciation to Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his continued support in disaster management.
“Disaster risk communication saves lives. Accurate and timely dissemination of information is not just a duty, it’s a life-saving strategy,” he concluded.
The workshop brought together media professionals, communication experts, government officials, and emergency responders, all committed to building a smarter, faster, and more responsive disaster communication framework in Kano and beyond.
The highlight of the event was a series of expert-led training sessions and panel discussions aimed at enhancing participants’ capacity in effective disaster risk communication.
