By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

Nine days after the earthquake that shook parts of Abuja, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has provided fresh technical details on the incident, assuring residents that it was a low-magnitude microseismic event that posed no threat to lives and property.

The agency also recommended an expansion of Nigeria’s seismic monitoring network, installation of monitoring equipment by major quarry and mining operators, stricter enforcement of seismic building standards, and increased public education on earthquake safety.

Director-General of the NGSA, Prof. Olusegun O. Ige, disclosed this on Thursday at a technical press conference in Abuja, convened on the directive of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Henry Alake.

Ige said the tremor was recorded at the agency’s seismic monitoring station in the Utako area at 11:23:27am on August 4, 2026, and lasted approximately five seconds.

According to him, the event occurred at an estimated distance of four kilometres from the epicentre and was felt in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, including the Defence Intelligence Agency’s facility at Mambila Barracks, Asokoro, parts of the NNPC Towers and some buildings within the Central Business District.

The NGSA boss explained that the agency continued monitoring its seismic instruments for more than five days after the incident.

He said the waveform records throughout the monitoring period showed only baseline noise, indicating that the tremor had completely subsided.

The agency subsequently conducted an aftershock assessment in locations where the tremor was reportedly felt.

Ige said inspections conducted at the affected facilities revealed no structural damage, while there were no reports of injuries or serious physical discomfort among residents and occupants.

According to the NGSA analysis, the tremor was a low-moment event, characterised by low amplitude and a very brief shock period of about five seconds, with an originating depth of less than one kilometre.

The agency attributed the possible occurrence to an intra-plate response to accumulated stresses originating from deeper parts of the Earth’s crust, potentially aided by the reactivation of geological fault systems.

It identified the northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast conjugate sets of strike-slip faults running through Nigeria as possible geological structures capable of triggering such tremors.

The agency, however, stressed that the very low magnitude and isolated nature of the event meant it lacked sufficient energy to damage building foundations, crack walls or trigger secondary hazards.

The NGSA therefore concluded that the tremor posed no threat to lives and property, apart from the temporary discomfort caused by the shaking.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Lara Owoeye-Wise, said the latest engagement was designed to give Nigerians and the media an opportunity to understand how the government was monitoring the situation beyond public assurances.

Owoeye-Wise said the August 4 tremor, coming amid reports of seismic activity in other parts of the world, had generated anxiety among Nigerians.

She explained that the Minister directed the NGSA to provide a comprehensive update on the incident and demonstrate the agency’s monitoring capacity.

She said the purpose was to enable the media and the public to understand how seismic events were monitored and assessed, rather than merely being told that there was “nothing to worry about.”

According to her, the government wanted Nigerians to have confidence that the relevant authorities were actively monitoring the situation and were prepared to respond appropriately to any future occurrence.

The agency recommended that the Federal Government expand the NGSA’s seismic monitoring stations and provide adequate logistics and funding to improve real-time monitoring and the computation of accurate seismic data.

It also called on the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to require major quarry and mining operators to install seismic monitoring meters at their operational sites to complement government monitoring stations.

The NGSA further recommended that relevant government agencies should require structural and geological configuration data from the agency before major infrastructure projects, including dams, bridges, railway lines, airports, mines and quarries, are sited.

It urged stronger enforcement of appropriate seismic building codes for heavy infrastructure and industrial projects in Abuja and other Nigerian cities.

The agency also advised construction companies to use reinforced concrete and strong steel structures, securely anchor roofs and frames to foundations, conduct proper soil testing before construction and strictly observe safety precautions.

It called for regular public awareness campaigns on earthquake and tremor safety protocols, as well as continuous capacity building for NGSA personnel to keep pace with modern seismic monitoring technology and improve data management and emergency response.
Monitoring stations operating 24 hours

The NGSA also assured Nigerians that its seismic monitoring network was operational round the clock.

The agency said its monitoring infrastructure, deployed across stations including Mpape in Abuja, Keffi, Kaduna and Kwara, enables continuous observation of seismic activities.

It explained that the technology is based on global monitoring standards and is capable of detecting and monitoring seismic activities beyond Nigeria’s borders

The development is coming against the backdrop of previous tremors reported in parts of Abuja, including incidents recorded in September 2016 and September 2018 and 2024.

The NGSA said lessons from previous occurrences, including the latest August 4 event, underscored the need for Nigeria to strengthen its national seismic monitoring and disaster preparedness capacity.

The agency maintained that while the latest Abuja tremor was not considered dangerous, sustained investment in monitoring infrastructure, scientific research, safer construction practices and public awareness remained essential to ensure that Nigeria was adequately prepared for any future seismic event.

Standard Times Nigeria will continue to monitor the development as it unfolds.