Federal Fire Service Rolls Out Compulsory Fire Warden Training for Nigerian Organisations

In a bid to bolster fire safety and emergency preparedness across the nation, the Federal Fire Service has introduced a nationwide mandatory Fire Warden Training and Certification Programme. This initiative, launched in collaboration with Pilgrims Integrated Management Consult Ltd., aims to equip organisations with trained in-house fire wardens who can serve as first responders in the event of fire emergencies. According to a statement jointly signed by ACF Umetali Peter, Commandant of the National Fire Academy, and Ukpola Okereke Chinedu, Managing Director/Principal Consultant of Pilgrims Integrated Management Consult Ltd., the programme is designed to transform fire safety culture in Nigeria. The statement highlighted that fire outbreaks are a leading cause of preventable loss of lives and property in the country, often resulting from the absence of trained emergency responders within facilities. This lack of trained responders can lead to delayed responses, poor evacuation procedures, avoidable injuries, and extensive property damage. To address this, organisations that receive an average of 50 or more persons daily are required to nominate one fire warden for every 50 staff members, occupants, students, worshippers, customers, or average daily users of their facilities. All nominated personnel must undergo the prescribed training and obtain certification from the Federal Fire Service. Registration for the programme has commenced, with the first phase of training scheduled to begin on August 31, 2026, at designated training centres, starting with Lagos. The Federal Fire Service warned that facilities that fail to comply with the programme may face sanctions, including legal penalties and the possible sealing of facilities found to be unsafe for public use. The service emphasized that fire safety is a shared responsibility, requiring every workplace, institution, business premises, and public facility to have trained in-house emergency responders who can provide immediate intervention during the critical first few minutes of a fire incident.