FG Proposes Replacement of 1963 Fire Service Act With New Rescue Law
The Federal Government is seeking to replace Nigeria’s 1963 Fire Service Act with a modern legal framework that will expand the responsibilities of the Federal Fire Service to include emergency medical response, disaster management and specialised rescue operations.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this during the 2026 National Fire Safety Week in Abuja, describing the existing legislation as outdated and inadequate for addressing the country’s evolving emergency management needs.
According to the minister, the proposed Federal Fire and Rescue Service Act will repeal the existing law and transform the Federal Fire Service into a more comprehensive emergency response agency.
Under the proposed framework, the agency will have an expanded mandate covering road accident rescues, flood emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, toxic gas leaks and other disasters. It will also be empowered to provide first aid and emergency medical assistance.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the existing legislation had limited the service’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies beyond conventional firefighting, stressing that appropriate legal authority was necessary for the agency to discharge its expanded responsibilities.
He disclosed that the proposed legislation had undergone the necessary defence process and was scheduled to be presented for legislative consideration.
The minister also advocated the introduction of basic rescue techniques, first aid and lifesaving skills into Nigeria’s school curriculum, arguing that greater public knowledge of emergency response could help prevent avoidable deaths.
As part of efforts to strengthen the agency’s operational capacity, Tunji-Ojo revealed that the Federal Government was constructing a National Fire Academy in Kwali, Abuja, expected to be completed by December 2026.
The facility, which is designed to accommodate more than 3,000 trainees, will provide specialised training for firefighters and emergency response personnel.
He further disclosed that the Federal Fire Service had expanded its operational commands from six to 18 as part of efforts to improve its nationwide presence and response capacity.
The proposed legislative reform represents a major attempt to modernise Nigeria’s emergency response system and reposition the Federal Fire Service as a broader rescue institution capable of responding to different forms of emergencies.
