The Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, South East Zone, Lady Adaora Chukwudozie, has called for a national shift from reacting to disasters to preventing and preparing for them.
She said resilience must begin with the everyday choices made by families, communities, businesses and public institutions.
Chukwudozie, who is also Chairman of the Board of Keystone Bank Limited, made the call while delivering the opening address at the 2026 ‘International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction’, organised by the Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies, University of Port Harcourt, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Resilience starts at home’, Chukwudozie said resilience must begin with the everyday choices made by families, communities, businesses and public institutions.
“Resilience requires investment. But disaster extracts a far greater price – by force, and often with interest,” she said.
Drawing from her experience as Chairman of MAN South-East during the 2022 flood disaster, she recalled the devastation at the Harbour Industrial Layout in Onitsha, adding that 19 manufacturing companies recorded approximately N11.48 billion in documented losses, including damage to machinery, raw materials, finished products and buildings.
“The true cost was not only in naira. It was in disrupted supply chains, anxious families, jobs at risk and businesses compelled to rebuild while still carrying financial obligations.
“The experience reinforced the need for practical preparedness before disasters occur. Disaster does not negotiate and does not allow people the luxury of beginning preparations after it has struck,” she added.
Chukwudozie urged government to strengthen planning, drainage infrastructure, urban discipline, building standards, early-warning systems and enforcement.
She also called on universities to deepen research and training in risk management; businesses to embed safety and continuity planning in decision-making; the media to communicate risk before tragedy; and community leaders to drive behavioural change at the grassroots.
She commended NEMA and other emergency responders for their service, while emphasising that relief alone cannot be Nigeria’s principal disaster-management strategy.
“We must move from relief to resilience, from reaction to prevention, and from sharing blame after disaster to sharing responsibility before it,” she said.
The National President of Risk Managers Society of Nigeria, Dr Abbas Idriss, called on Nigerians to abandon their culture of disaster reaction and embrace a culture of anticipation.
Idriss said, “Today is a global clarion call for resilience. Around the world, communities are facing an unprecedented escalation of risks – from climate-induced catastrophes to systemic economic shocks.”
Idriss said RIMSON’s objectives are perfectly aligned with the global mandate for resilience.
“We exist to promote the consciousness of risk management in all sectors of our national life. We believe that development is only sustainable if it is risk-informed.
“By collaborating with institutions like the Centre for Disaster Risk Management here at UniPort, we are bridging the gap between academic research and professional practice, ensuring that Nigeria is better prepared for the uncertainties of tomorrow,” he said.