The Lagos Island Cell of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild has raised serious concerns over the repeated high-rise fires on Lagos Island, citing the recent blaze at Afriland Building and the devastating fire at Great Nigeria Insurance House as urgent warnings.
The group emphasized that these events are not isolated accidents but symptomatic of systemic failures in fire safety compliance during the operational phase of buildings.
“Unlike one-time design flaws, operational lapses, such as unsafe conversion of offices into warehouses, poor enforcement of fire codes, and inadequate maintenance of fire protection systems, continue to turn Lagos Island’s towers into fire hazards. The GNI House, which has experienced two separate fires in its history, exemplifies how neglect of operational fire standards allows hazards to persist with devastating consequences,” the guild said.
During a visual inspection of the GNI building at 47/57 Martins Street, the guild warned of the imminent danger of collapse of the damaged structure.
The group highlighted the alarming fact that the building has been ablaze continuously since Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025, with firefighters still struggling to contain the inferno as of 11:00 a.m. on December 27.
Access challenges caused significant disruption along Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Martins Street, Gbajumo Street, Kosoko Street, and Alli Balogun Street, complicating fire-fighting efforts.
As the fire raged, chunks of spalling concrete flew across the streets, forcing bystanders to flee for safety. The building eventually suffered a partial collapse, raising urgent concerns about public safety.
“Beyond this specific incident, Lagos Island has experienced a pattern of repeated fires affecting major structures. Buildings in the neighbourhood of GNI House have suffered damage from fire propagation, leaving them vulnerable,” the guild said.
BCPG extended its condolences to families who lost loved ones and property and expressed sympathy for those injured in the tragedy, noting that the festive season had been overshadowed by grief.
The guild blamed the rising disaster risks on the misuse of high-rise buildings, pointing out that many structures originally approved for corporate use have been converted into shops and warehouses stocked with combustible materials.
This, combined with unsafe remodelling, poor oversight, and unregulated occupancy, has forced organisations to relocate and left several buildings underutilised.
BCPG urged the government to regulate building usage, enforce safety standards, and strengthen oversight.
In a statement signed by Coordinator Mubarak Gbaja-Biamila and Secretary Femi Oyedele, the guild highlighted the recurring nature of fire incidents on Lagos Island.
“In 2013, GNI House suffered its first major blaze, setting a troubling pattern. The following year, in 2014, the Financial Trust House was engulfed, underscoring that compliance lapses are not limited to a single building.
“By 2015, Bookshop House, a heritage landmark, was affected, and in 2016, UBA House at Marina was struck. The trend continued: Elephant House burned in 2017, Unity House in 2018, and Western House in 2019. Each incident further eroded public confidence in the safety of Lagos Island’s skyscrapers.”
In response to these ongoing threats, BCPG called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and relevant authorities to take immediate and decisive action.
The guild proposed a comprehensive framework to strengthen governance, modernise firefighting capacity, enforce compliance, and protect Lagos Island’s historic and commercial landmarks.
It urged the Lagos State Government to commission an urgent investigation into the GNI building fire and make the findings public to ensure transparency and accountability.
According to BCPG, lessons learned from the inquiry should inform future safety measures for high-rise structures on Lagos Island. The guild also called for a 90-day audit of all high-rise buildings to assess their fire safety readiness and structural integrity.
It further recommended establishing a safety commission with authority to enforce compliance, publish annual reports, and sanction violators without political interference, focusing on the operational phase of buildings, which has long been neglected.
“Clear penalties should be defined and enforced for landlords, contractors and officials who neglect fire codes, ensuring accountability across both private and public actors.
“High-rise structures should be subject to annual public disclosure of their fire safety status, with inspection results made accessible to tenants, regulators and the public.
“The Lagos State Government should enforce the provisions of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025 by mandating compulsory fire insurance for all high-rise and commercial buildings, ensuring that property owners and tenants maintain valid coverage as a condition for occupancy and continued operation.
“A dedicated Fire Safety Fund should be allocated, drawing from government budgets, insurance levies and public-private partnerships, to guarantee sustainable financing for infrastructure, training and enforcement.
“Whoever approved the remodelling of high-rise buildings should be prosecuted. Anyone who rents out such buildings without fire protection facilities should face the law.”
