An earth tremor shook parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Tuesday, prompting the Federal Government to activate enhanced seismic monitoring while assuring residents that there is no threat to lives or property.

Following the incident, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, directed the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency to provide him with hourly updates on seismic developments around the nation’s capital for continuous assessment and possible escalation to other relevant government agencies.

The directive came after the NGSA reported that the tremor was felt in several buildings across Abuja on Tuesday, August 4, although scientific analysis showed it was a minor seismic event.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, Alake, who is currently in Washington, DC, United States, where he is holding meetings with American investors on joint venture opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, also urged residents not to panic.

He assured residents that government agencies were closely monitoring the situation and had already deployed proactive measures to safeguard lives and property.

The statement disclosed that the NGSA’s Seismic Monitoring Station in Utako detected the tremor at exactly 11:23:27am, saying the earth movement originated from a depth of one kilometre and travelled four kilometres within five seconds.

It stated, “Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake has directed the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency to provide hourly updates of the seismic developments around Abuja, the Federal Capital to him for regular review and possible escalation to other relevant agencies.

“The Nigerian Seismic Monitoring Station, Utako, recorded the earth tremor at exactly 11.23.27am, noting that it originated from a 1-kilometre depth and spread across a distance of four kilometres in five seconds.”

The agency explained that its analysis classified the incident as “a light event of I to II magnitude on the Mercalli scale,” indicating that it was too weak to cause structural damage.

It added, “This is a characteristic feature of a surface earth tremor that poses no threat to lives and properties except for the discomfort of the shake and fear of possible destruction.”

Reacting to the development, Alake directed the agency to intensify surveillance of seismic activities in and around the Federal Capital Territory.

The statement said the minister ordered the NGSA to submit hourly reports on any fresh seismic developments for his regular review and, where necessary, onward communication to other relevant agencies.

The minister also reassured residents that there was no cause for anxiety.

He said the agency would continue to monitor the situation while residents went about their daily activities.

Nigeria experiences occasional low-intensity earth tremors despite lying outside the world’s major earthquake zones. The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency operates a network of seismic monitoring stations across the country to detect and analyse such events, providing early scientific assessments to guide emergency response and reassure the public.

The NGSA is Nigeria’s foremost geoscience agency responsible for geological mapping, mineral exploration, geophysical surveys and seismic monitoring across the country. Through its network of seismic stations, the agency tracks earth movements and provides scientific assessments to support disaster preparedness and public safety.

Although Nigeria is not located on a major tectonic plate boundary and is generally regarded as having low seismic activity, isolated earth tremors have been recorded in parts of the country over the years, including in Abuja, Kaduna, Kogi, Oyo and Bayelsa states.

Experts have consistently noted that most of these events are minor and rarely result in significant damage, but they underscore the importance of continuous seismic monitoring and emergency preparedness.