Panic As Tremor Rocks Parts of Nigeria, Minister Dele Alake Speaks

• Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory recorded a minor earth tremor on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 11 am
• The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency detected the seismic activity and alerted Solid Minerals Minister Dele Alake
• Alake directed the agency to provide hourly updates and issued a public statement urging residents to stay calm

Abuja residents were rattled on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, when the Federal Capital Territory experienced a minor earth tremor at approximately 11 am.

Dele Alake, Nigeria's minister of solid minerals development, confirmed the event after the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) detected the seismic activity and brought it to his attention.

In response, Alake, in a report shared by Legit.ng on August 6, 2026, instructed the NGSA to provide him with updates every hour, allowing for continuous review of the situation and potential escalation to other relevant government bodies if conditions worsen.

Minister Alake calls for calm across FCT

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On Wednesday, 5 August, Alake's special assistant on media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, issued a public statement on his behalf, directly addressing concerns among residents.

The minister assured Abuja's population that precautionary steps had already been taken to safeguard lives and property throughout the territory.

"Residents of the Territory are urged to go about their normal routine without anxiety," the statement read.

Alake added that he was personally keeping track of developments through the NGSA's regular briefings, signalling a hands-on approach to the government's response.

No casualties or structural damage have been reported in connection with Tuesday's tremor.

Nigeria's history of earth tremors

An earth tremor is a brief, involuntary shaking of the ground caused by stress in underground rock formations.

The movement can cause windows to rattle, objects to sway, and a subtle sensation of the ground shifting underfoot, typically lasting around 10 seconds.

Nigeria is no stranger to such events. Documented tremors date back to 1933, with subsequent occurrences recorded in 1939, 1964, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2009, and 2016.

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Several of these events went without instrumental recording due to the absence of functional seismological observatories in the country at the time.

Notable exceptions include the 1984 tremor at Ijebu-Ode, the 1990 tremor at Ibadan, and the 2000 event at Jushi Kwari, all of which were formally captured by available monitoring equipment.

The NGSA, which operates under the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, remains the primary agency tasked with tracking and documenting geological events across Nigeria, including seismic occurrences of this nature.

Dangote announces new vacancies in Nigeria, others

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Dangote Group has opened a new round of recruitment, inviting qualified candidates to apply for dozens of roles across its cement and food divisions.

A report by Legit.ng indicated that the vacancies, which became available on Tuesday, 4 August, span two major subsidiaries: Dangote Cement and Dangote Foods.

Roles are on offer at facilities in Lagos, Ogun, Kogi, Adamawa, and Edo states, with additional openings at the group's international operations in Tanzania, Senegal, Zambia, and India.

Source: YEN.com.gh