Stakeholders Demand Stronger Prevention Measures against Fire Incidents

Kayode Tokede Stakeholders have demanded stronger prevention and stricter enforcement against fire incidents in Lagos as record showed a total of 1,685 fire incidents in 2025 alone resulted in 133 deaths and billions lost in property damages. The stakeholders at the premiere of “Burning Point: Inside Lagos’ Fires”, an investigative documentary produced by CBI News, called for a mandatory fire insurance for markets and traders to protect traders against losses from fire outbreaks. These calls were made in Lagos where public officials and other stakeholders highlighted the devastating effects of fires on businesses, livelihoods and households. The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, who was represented by the Director-General, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the state had expanded its firefighting capacity but stressed the need for stronger preventive measures, compliance with safety requirements and greater public awareness. Hamzat said the number of fire stations in Lagos had increased from 14 in 2019 to 29, while the government had procured 62 new vehicles across different operational categories to support firefighting, rescue operations and other emergency services. She added that the government had recruited 685 personnel between 2019 and 2026 and supported local and international training to improve their technical competence. However, he explained that equipment and personnel alone could not prevent fire disasters, stressing that building owners, businesses and facility managers must maintain safe electrical installations, accessible escape routes and comply with applicable fire safety requirements. “The best fire incident is the one prevented. The best fire fought is the one prevented,” he said. Hamzat added that fire prevention required cooperation among government agencies, businesses, property owners, communities and the media, while investigations into major incidents should establish the causes and identify areas requiring corrective action. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, however raised concerns about substandard solar energy products entering Nigeria as households and businesses increasingly seek alternatives to expensive electricity and diesel. He called for stronger regulation by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other relevant agencies to ensure that electrical and solar products meet safety requirements. The President of the Ndigboamaka Progressive Market Association, Chinedu Ukatu, noted that compulsory insurance, improved electrical installations and better market infrastructure were necessary to reduce the impact of recurring fires on traders and their investments. Ukatu said traders often lost their entire inventory in fires but remained responsible for repaying loans obtained to finance their businesses. “A trader who borrowed N20 million to do business. He bought goods. He sells in shops. One spark in the night, everything is gone. He goes back to zero,” he said. He said the losses could leave traders struggling to rebuild their businesses while meeting existing financial obligations. Ukatu urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Lagos State Government to work with market associations to make fire insurance compulsory for shops, noting that collective arrangements could make coverage more accessible to traders. “It has been very difficult for me and for all of us as market leaders alone to enforce it. But if you ask me, if National Insurance Commission and Lagos State Government can partner with our association and make fire insurance compulsory in our shops, we are going to work in collaboration with you to get it done,” he said. He also proposed the establishment of a Lagos State Fire Emergency Fund involving the government, market associations and private-sector organisations to provide immediate financial assistance to traders affected by fires. According to him, the proposed fund could provide between N1 million and N3 million to affected traders within 28 hours to help them restart their businesses. Ukatu further called for the rehabilitation of dilapidated markets, the replacement of unsafe electrical wiring and the provision of accessible roads to enable fire trucks to reach affected locations quickly. He alleged that inadequate inspections, poor infrastructure and the storage of highly flammable goods in shops increased the risks facing traders. The market association president also called for the training of volunteer market fire marshals to provide initial emergency intervention before professional firefighters arrive. The founder of CBI News, Chris Baywood Ibe, said the documentary was intended to move public discussion beyond the immediate destruction caused by fires to the underlying causes, preparedness, emergency response and accountability. He said the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service rescued 473 people and saved property valued at N118 billion. Ibe said fire safety should be treated as a public safety and economic priority, given the impact of outbreaks on households, traders, businesses and communities. He called for stronger coordination among government agencies, emergency responders, businesses and citizens, as well as investment in modern equipment, professional training, regular safety inspections and public education. He also urged households and businesses to ensure that their fire extinguishers remained valid and functional, warning that owning safety equipment was not enough without proper maintenance and preparedness. The documentary premiere brought together representatives of the Lagos State Government, the fire service, market associations and other stakeholders to discuss measures to prevent fire outbreaks and reduce their human and economic consequences.