INFERNO IN LAGOS: BREAKING THE CYCLE OF FIRE DISASTERS AND BUILDING A RESILIENT MEGACITY.

 

Lagos, Africa’s most populous megacity and Nigeria’s economic heartbeat, is perennially engulfed by a different kind of blaze. Every year end just before the New Year, fire incidents in Lagos become so severe. The severity of the fire incidents has also ramped up, like it’s auditioning for a disaster movie, while the number of incidents has been on the rise, the type of fires has also evolved as it’s no longer are we just talking about the occasional kitchen flare-up. We're now faced with large-scale infernos, often devastating entire neighborhoods. The damage is not just reputational, it is embarrassing to professionals. When it comes to where these fires are popping up, it's a hot mess! Areas with high population density, particularly markets and commercial places. Examples of such places are Lagos Island and parts of Mainland are infamous for their fire outbreaks, often fueled by overcrowded living situations and the attitude of the citizen to fire incidents.

Headlines scream: emergency services scramble, and losses are counted in billions of Naira, most painfully lives are lost and thereafter the social media war begins. From the ethnic keypad warrior, to the no knowledge professional of everything and the master of every subject at the newspaper stand, analysis begins and ends with government is not capable, they lack infrastructure and all sort of talk. Similar all incidents, fire occurrence knows no infrastructure nor expertise., if you don’t stop fire incident within the window of spread, It will become a disaster.

 

 While we are still grieving for our own in Lagos, around 40 people died after a fire ripped through a bar in a ski resort in southern Switzerland and a further 115 people were injured; many of those wounded were "severe”. An unconfirmed primary investigation revealed that sparklers on the champagne bottles, which came too close to the ceiling, likely caused the fire.   Likewise, on December 23, 1995, about 1500 parents and children gathered for the Annual Day celebration of DAV Public School, Mandi, Haryana, India. The function was arranged under a canopy in the compound of Rajiv Marriage Palace. Suddenly, a huge fire blazed from the sparks of a short circuit in an electric generator. The fire spread within a minute and blocked the main entrance. More than 500 people, including 258 children, became victims of this ferocious mishap. These two incidents, one recent and the other not too far, clearly show that fire incidents rely on prevention rather than cure. For you to stop fire incidents, all fire and safety protocols must be addressed, especially human-induced. 

 

For us in Lagos, after the smoke clears, a cycle of temporary outrage and investigations, only for the cycle to repeat months later. Based on research and statistical data analysis of all fire incidents in Lagos, the fire incidents are more to do with human activities rather than lack of infrastructure. The fire incidents are often fueled by a combination of factors: urban overcrowding, inadequate safety measures, and a lack of awareness. How many of the resident know the direct fire service number or know the Emergency call number - 767/112 for Lagos State. Citizens will rather believe that the lines are not working or the fire trucks don’t have water than calling to save time and ensure things are done properly. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of fire incidents in Lagos, the likely causes and the way forward to enhance fire safety and community resilience.

 

The Anatomy of a Disaster: Why Lagos Keeps Burning?

What’s igniting the flames in Lagos? A blend of common culprits—poor electrical wiring, cooking accidents, and flammable materials piled higher than your average Nigerian jollof pot. Beyond that, carelessness of the citizens and open burning practices add fuel to the fire—quite literally. It’s as if the city has become a high-stakes game of ‘who can start the biggest fire,’ and unfortunately, innocent bystanders are losing. Lagos Fire Services responded to 1,072 emergencies in the first half of 2025, including 922 confirmed fire incidents. (The Guardian Nigeria). In that period, there were 62 fatalities linked to fire and related emergencies, and significant property salvage was achieved despite notable losses. (Afripost Newspaper). In 2024, Lagos recorded about 1,749 fire incidents, with 75% attributed to carelessness and preventable causes. (Tribune Online)

The root causes of these incessant fires are well-documented and interlinked, however 80% of these incidents are preventable. The leading causes of fire incidents in Lagos are: 

a. The Electrical Fault Epidemic: A significant majority of fires are traced to “electrical faults.” This benign term often masks illegal connections, overloaded and ageing grids, substandard wiring, and the widespread use of uncertified electrical equipment. The erratic power supply forces reliance on generators and improvised connections, multiplying the risks. From the rich to the poor, there are no details to electrical wiring hence Illegal connections are the other of the day. A visit to most commercial premises and markets, one will wonder why our markets wouldn’t burn at the sight of different wiring connections running across the markets especially if they are traditional markets.

b. Dangerous co-location of Activities: The infamous market fires highlight the lethal mix of residential quarters, storage of flammable goods (textiles, petrol, chemicals), and active commercial activity in narrow, inaccessible lanes. A single spark can become an uncontrollable conflagration within minutes. Storage classification is not in our books, so goods are co-mingled - hazardous to non-hazardous materials. Even in market, class separations are not done, you can find some refilling gas shop close to someone selling clothes and books. Examples like this are abundant in our markets and commercial premises.

 

c. Public Awareness & Attitude Gap: A culture of safety is often absent. Basic knowledge of fire prevention, use of extinguishers, and evacuation plans is low among citizens. Ignorance and negligence, such as storing flammable materials close to ignition source are prevalent practices. For two months in collaboration with Lekki Estate Residents & Stakeholders Association, I delivered free lectures on Fire and Environmental Education, this brought to the fore the dearth of knowledge with regards to fire prevention. From my personal assessment only 35% of residents I came across with during the lecture sessions have a basic fire prevention knowledge. I was particularly surprised as the caliber of people I was engaging, I had expected that an average resident to be more informed about basic life safety, however was totally lacking. So, I wondered, what do you expect from traders in market and commercial building where profit is the order of the day.

 

The Way Forward:

Lagos has a firefighting force that’s more than equipped to handle fire, but if the communities are not ready to be part of the prevention, it will take us a long time to get it right. Let’s be real, most people don’t think about fire safety until they are having a barbecue. It’s time to change that narrative! Community awareness and training programs can work wonders. Workshops that teach residents how to use fire extinguishers, conduct drills, and recognise fire hazards, all of can save lives. Collaborating with local leaders and influencers can also help spread the word, making safety the next trendy topic at neighbourhood gatherings.

Moving from reaction to prevention requires a courageous, sustained, and collaborative effort. Here is a multi-pronged blueprint for the way forward:

a.      Implement the "Fire Safety First" Policy for all commercial/market and large residential areas. Markets must be redesigned. This includes creating central, safe storage warehouses away from trading stalls, mandating fire-resistant materials for stalls, enforcing wide access corridors, and instituting a market-wide fire warden system.

b.     Launch "Lagos Fire-Wise" Community Programme: A massive, sustained public education campaign using radio jingles, social media, and community town halls in local languages. Train community volunteers as first responders and establish neighbourhood watch programs focused on fire hazards.

c.      Ruthlessly Enforce Building Codes: mandatory, periodic fire safety checks/ certifications for all commercial and high-density residential buildings must be enforced. No certificate/inspection clearance, no operation. Demolition of severely non-compliant structures must be a last-resort to serve as a deterrent.

d.     Incentivize Whistleblowing: Create anonymous channels for citizens to report dangerous electrical installations, illegal fuel storage, and blocked fire access routes  amongst others to punish those who want to profits on other‘s misery.

e.     Technology upgrades: the use of technology in combatting fire is growing so we must join the train. Installation of Internet of Thngs fire detection in major commercial and large residential buildings is key. Also, the use of drone for rapid situational assessment and early detections of fires especially in high-rise building is very important.

 

The government cannot do this alone, while the state must lead with policy, enforcement, and investment, the responsibility is collective. Landlords must install basic safety equipment; market associations must prioritise safety over space maximisation. Companies must adhere to standards and every citizen must cultivate a mindset of prevention. The repeated fires in Lagos are more than disasters; they are a burning indictment of our collective negligence.

The way forward is clear, it demands moving from temporary grief and blame to permanent, systemic action. The goal must be to ensure that the next headline about a fire in Lagos is not about a catastrophic loss, but about a disaster that was prevented. Our city’s future, its economic vitality, and the lives of its citizens depend on the choices we make today.

Greater Lagos is rising.  Join the train.