The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has called for stronger national capacity to monitor seismic activities and manage geological hazards following the recent earth tremor recorded in parts of Abuja.
The agency made the call while assuring residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, that the tremor recorded on August 4 had completely subsided and posed no threat to lives or property.
According to a statement by the special assistant on media to the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Lara Owo-eye Wise, the NGSA director-general, Prof. Olusegun Ige, said more than five days of continuous monitoring after the incident showed no evidence of further seismic activity.
He said the agency’s monitoring station in Utako recorded the tremor at 11:23:27 a.m. on August 4, with the event lasting about five seconds and originating from a depth of less than one kilometre.
Ige described the incident as a “low-energy, transient micro-event,” saying its characteristics did not indicate the likelihood of a destructive earthquake.
“Our message to residents of Abuja is clear: there is no cause for alarm. The tremor was a very low-energy, isolated event, and our monitoring has confirmed that the seismic activity has completely subsided,” he said.
The NGSA boss said the agency had combined instrumental monitoring with physical assessments of locations where the tremor was reportedly felt, including the Defence Intelligence Agency facility at Mambila Barracks, Asokoro, the NNPC Towers and selected buildings within the Central Business District.
He said no structural damage, injury or serious discomfort attributable to the tremor was recorded during the assessments.
The agency’s findings, however, have prompted renewed calls for investment in seismic surveillance infrastructure across the country.
Ige said Nigeria needed to expand its seismic monitoring network, improve logistics and deploy appropriate monitoring equipment, particularly around major mining and quarrying operations.
He also called for geological and seismic data to be incorporated into the planning and construction of major infrastructure such as dams, bridges, railways, airports, mines and quarries.
According to him, preliminary geological analysis suggested that the Abuja tremor may have resulted from the release of accumulated stress within the earth’s crust through existing geological structures.
Although Nigeria is not located on an active major tectonic plate boundary, he explained that geological stresses could occasionally be released through existing fault systems, resulting in localised seismic events.
“The fact that a tremor was felt does not mean that a destructive earthquake is imminent. What matters is the nature and energy of the event,” Ige said.
“In this case, the energy released was extremely low and insufficient to cause structural failure or trigger secondary hazards.”
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, had directed the NGSA to provide hourly updates on the seismic situation following the Abuja incident and escalate developments to relevant government agencies where necessary.
The agency subsequently sustained surveillance for more than five days, with waveform records showing only baseline seismic noise and no indication of continuing tremor activity.
As part of efforts to improve public understanding of seismic monitoring, NGSA also demonstrated its surveillance operations to journalists, showcasing the equipment used to detect, record and analyse seismic signals.
Ige said the demonstration was intended to show that the agency’s assurances were based on scientific evidence rather than speculation.
“We want Nigerians to see that our assurance is based on evidence. The instruments recorded the event, our experts analysed the data, our field team inspected the affected locations, and we have continued to monitor the situation,” he said.
The NGSA also stressed the need for sustained public education on earthquake and tremor safety protocols, alongside continuous training of personnel in modern seismic monitoring and data analysis.
