Assessing The Effectiveness and Sustainability of Emergency Communication Centres in Disaster Management in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) play a critical role in disaster management by serving as the first point of contact between households and emergency response agencies. This study assesses the effectiveness and sustainability of Emergency Communication Centres in disaster management in Abuja, Nigeria, with a specific focus on operational performance and household satisfaction. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 384 households across Abuja Municipal Area Council using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were employed to evaluate key dimensions of operational effectiveness, while binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with household satisfaction. The findings reveal that ECCs in Abuja demonstrate moderate to moderately high operational performance, particularly in professionalism of call-takers, clarity of guidance, and coordination with response agencies. However, response speed at the initial contact stage, especially time to answer calls, emerged as a key area of concern. Overall household satisfaction was moderate, with just over half of respondents reporting satisfaction with ECC services. Regression results indicate that operational performance indicators did not significantly predict satisfaction, while educational attainment emerged as the only significant predictor, suggesting that user expectations play an important role in satisfaction assessments. The study concludes that while Emergency Communication Centres in Abuja are operationally functional, gaps at the first point of contact and inconsistencies in service experience limit their sustainability. Enhancing call-handling efficiency, strengthening communication consistency, and managing user expectations are essential for improving household satisfaction and reinforcing the long-term effectiveness of emergency communication systems in urban disaster management.