The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the construction of the National Fire Academy in Kwali, Abuja, is at 85 per cent completed.

Mr Tunji-Ojo said this on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the National Fire Safety Week.

He said that it was expected that by the end of 2026, the academy would have been fully completed.

The 2026 National Fire Safety Week has the theme “Building a Fire Safety for Resilient Nigeria: One Community at a Time.”

According to the minister, the state-of-the-art academy will be recognised globally as one of the best.

“This is the first time the Federal Fire Service (FFS) will be getting a training academy they deserve based on what we have there.

“We have automated fire service classrooms, a library, a training centre, a health center, and a hostel to take up to 3,000 people at a time, solar power, among others,” he said.

He said that for the service to perform optimally, President Bola Tinubu approved the review of the 1963 Fire Service Act, which had gone beyond the defence level and would be presented before the Senate committee on Thursday.

“If the law does not give you the power to do certain things, it makes the job of personnel impossible.

“The essence of the law is to make your job easier, and if the law does not grant a state of anticipation of duty by officers, then the law is flawed.

“Because Nigeria has not had other natural hazards does not mean we should gamble with the future,” he said.

The minister emphasised the need for Nigeria to find a way through which rescue service and techniques, knowledge, and know-how become key ingredients of fire curriculum at all levels.

“There is no bigger dignity than saving lives and living for humanity; that is what the Federal Fire and Rescue Service is about,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.

He applauded the officers and men of the FFS for dedicating their lives to the safety of lives and property.

He also commended their efforts in reducing emergency response time to 15 minutes  from about 30 minutes.

Mr Tunji-Ojo also used the opportunity to inaugurate the Multilingual Fire Safety booklets.

Earlier in his remarks, FFS Controller General Samuel Olumode appreciated Mr Tinubu and the minister for their commitment to national safety, support and zeal for growth in the service.

Mr Olumode said that the week remained the service’s flagship awareness initiative, which provided an opportunity to educate Nigerians on fire prevention and safety practices, as well as strengthened public participation to reduce fire incidents nationwide.

He said that the 2026 theme underscored that fire was a shared and collective responsibility that needed to be supported by prepared community and emergency response services.

He assured that the sensitisation campaign would be conducted simultaneously in all states of the federation.

The FFS commandant general appreciated those who had built fire stations at different levels and had donated to the service in support of the federal government efforts.

He called on Nigerians to emulate the commendable efforts by supporting fire safety infrastructure to safeguard lives and property.

He also urged Nigerians to take fire prevention seriously by adhering to all safety precautions.

Mr Olumode noted that the inaugurated fire booklet was aimed at ensuring effective public communication to meet people in languages they understand.

(NAN)