LAGOS, May 5 (AGCNewsNet) – Nigeria has lost goods and properties valued at over ₦30 billion to at least 42 market fires that occurred between January 2023 and April 2025 across 11 states, with Lagos, Kano, and Anambra topping the list of affected areas.

According to findings by Daily Sun, Lagos recorded 17 major market fires, the most severe being the January 21, 2024 inferno that engulfed the Mandilas Building in Balogun Market. The 14-storey complex housed 450 shops, 30 offices, two hotels, and five restaurants — all of which were destroyed, leaving behind massive losses and shattered livelihoods.

Northern Nigeria also recorded multiple incidents, with Kano State suffering seven fires since 2023. The latest, on April 18, 2025, razed six shops in Kurmi Market. In another earlier incident, Yan Katako Market was hit, with losses estimated at ₦150 million.

In the southeast, the December 2023 Nkpor Main Market fire in Anambra led to damages worth ₦300 million. Traders there continue to lament the near absence of functional fire-fighting infrastructure.

“Most of the 33 markets in Anambra don’t have fire trucks,” said Chibuzo Okonkwo, a trader in Relief Market, Onitsha. “In our line, you’d only find one extinguisher. If a fire breaks out, there’s nothing to stop it.”

Okonkwo recalled two fire incidents at Ochanja Market, one triggered by petrol leakage from an overturned tanker and another believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. In both cases, he said, victims received no compensation from the government. “Support only comes from town unions, religious groups, and fellow traders.”

Kwara’s Oja Tuntun Market fire in 2023 remains one of the deadliest, with traders losing over ₦25 billion worth of goods. In Plateau, fires destroyed sections of Katako Timber Market and Jos Terminus Market in late 2024 and April 2025, respectively.

Abia, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Borno, and Rivers also recorded similar disasters, deepening economic woes for informal traders with little to no insurance coverage or government support.

Authorities partly blame carelessness. “About 80 percent of these fires are caused by human error — electrical faults, gas leaks, or unsafe practices,” said Shakiru Amodu, spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire Service. “Despite our sensitisation efforts, most traders do not follow safety guidelines.”

Stakeholders are now calling for a complete overhaul of market safety policies, installation of modern firefighting equipment, and the creation of a structured compensation framework for victims.

“Until the government takes fire prevention seriously,” a stakeholder noted, “Nigerian traders will continue to operate under the constant threat of losing everything in one night.”

Stay connected with AGC NewsNet for the latest news from Africa.

Source: Daily Sun