The Nigerian Senate has commenced the second reading of a bill to establish a unified, toll-free national emergency number, aiming to replace the current patchwork of helplines with a single, easy-to-remember three-digit code like 112.
Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua from Katsina Central, the legislation titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Emergency Toll Service (NETS)” seeks to streamline emergency responses by routing calls or texts automatically to the nearest response center.
Lawmakers highlighted the confusion caused by multiple numbers for police, fire services, and hospitals, especially in states like Lagos with several agency-specific lines, arguing that a single number would enhance coordination and save lives during crises.
Senator Ali Ndume from Borno South supported the bill, linking it to Nigeria’s security challenges and poor public-agency communication, while Senator Tahir Monguno from Borno North emphasized its role in empowering citizens to report suspicious activities without barriers.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin praised the initiative as a major step for improving emergency systems nationwide, noting the high mobile phone penetration rate of nearly 90 percent makes the infrastructure feasible.
The bill, first read on March 20, 2024, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Communications for further review and is expected to report back in four weeks, with the Nigerian Communications Commission poised to regulate the system if enacted.
