Major commercial centers in 11 states in Nigeria were devastated by at least 42 market fires between January 2023 and April 2025. As a result, property and goods valued at almost ₦30 billion were destroyed. The Daily Sun reports that Lagos State has been hardest hit by the infernos, with 17 significant outbreaks during that time. The most disastrous was on January 21, 2024, when a fire broke out at the Balogun Market Mandilas building. The 14-story building, which housed 30 offices, 450 stores, two hotels, and five restaurants, was completely destroyed, resulting in enormous damages and destroyed lives.
Nor has Northern Nigeria been exempt. Since 2023, there have been seven incidences in Kano State alone. The most recent was on April 18, 2025, when Kurmi Market saw six stores burn down. The Yan Katako Market in Kano reported ₦150 million in damages earlier in the year. An estimated ₦300 million was lost in the southeast after the Nkpor Main Market fire in Anambra occurred in December 2023. Two significant events occurred in Kwara State, including the 2023 Oja Tuntun Market fire that destroyed goods worth more than ₦25 billion.
