Lagos unveils digital platform to boost emergency response
The Lagos State Government on Monday unveiled a technology-driven platform, the Lagos Emergency Responders Management System (LERMS), to enhance emergency response and coordination across the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the platform was unveiled at Alausa with officials describing it as a major step towards strengthening public safety infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager of the Lagos State Command and Control Centre (LSCCC), Mr Femi Giwa, said LERMS represents a milestone in the evolution of emergency management in the state.
Giwa said the platform integrates citizens, emergency responders and the control centre into a unified digital ecosystem, aimed at improving coordination, response time and operational efficiency.
“LERMS is a robust, technology-driven framework that enhances precision and responsiveness in emergency management,” Giwa said.
According to him, residents can report emergencies through multiple channels, including IVR, SMS, USSD, social media and the Eko Help mobile application.
He added that the platform deploys artificial intelligence to verify incidents and minimise false alarms, while supporting faster and more accurate response.
Giwa added that LERMS features in-vehicle communication tools, asset tracking systems and a multi-tier control centre architecture, enabling decentralised response with centralised oversight.
He said the system includes an Emergency Notification and Alert System for real-time public communication, as well as an Ambulance Services Management System for tracking ambulances and hospital capacity.
The general manager added that the platform enhances situational awareness and provides accurate, location-based information to guide decision-making by both authorities and residents.
He highlighted the system’s predictive intelligence capability, which enables early detection of hazards such as gas leaks, stressing that public participation would be critical to its success.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Gbenga Oyerinde, described LERMS as a transformative initiative that unifies key response agencies, including LASAMBUS, LASTMA and the Fire Service.
“In a megacity like Lagos, proactive and intelligent systems are essential,” Oyerinde said.
He noted that the platform would ensure faster response time, improved coordination and better resource allocation.
Mr Olatunde Akinsanya, the Director of Operations and Maintenance at the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, said the initiative aligns with global best practices in emergency management.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Sesan Ogundeko, said the system would significantly improve real-time information transmission to responders, reduce response time and enhance rapid intervention.
Ogundeko added that quicker emergency response would help preserve lives and property across the state.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of SOFTSEER Ltd., Mr Iyanu Fakoya, described the initiative as the dawn of a new era in coordinated and intelligent emergency response.
“What we are witnessing today is not merely a handover, but the beginning of a system designed to transform how emergencies are reported, verified and addressed—ensuring that every second counts,” Fakoya said.
He said the platform would reinforce and not replace existing infrastructure to strengthen collaboration among responder agencies.
Fakoya added that the system would drive efficiency, deepen inter-agency cooperation and improve emergency response outcomes across the state.
NAN reports that the highlight of the event was the handing over of the LERMS operational assets to the ministry by the managing director of SOFTSEER Ltd.
The launch of LERMS underscores Lagos State’s commitment to improving public safety and building resilience.
