BCPG Raises Concern Over Safety of High-Rise Buildings on Lagos Island After GNI Fire

Bennett Oghifo

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Lagos Island Cell, has raised the alarm over what it described as persistent and systemic failures in fire safety management of high-rise buildings on Lagos Island, following the devastating fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House during the Christmas season.

In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Bldr. Mubarak Gbaja-Biamila, FNIOB, and Secretary, ESV. Femi Oyedele, MNIESV, the guild extended condolences to families who lost loved ones, property and livelihoods in the inferno, noting that a period meant for celebration was instead overshadowed by tragedy.

The group expressed grave concern over the recurrence of fires in high-rise buildings across Lagos Island, citing recent incidents at Afriland Towers and GNI House as evidence of deeper structural and operational lapses. According to the BCPG, these fires are not isolated accidents but indicators of chronic non-compliance with fire safety standards, particularly during the operational phase of buildings.

Unlike design-related defects that occur at the construction stage, the guild said operational lapses such as unsafe conversion of office spaces into warehouses, weak enforcement of fire codes and poor maintenance of fire protection systems have turned several high-rise buildings into ticking time bombs. GNI House, which has suffered at least two major fires in its history, was cited as a prime example of how neglect allows hazards to persist with devastating consequences.

The statement traced a grim timeline of high-rise fires on Lagos Island. From the 2013 blaze that gutted the 25-storey GNI House, through fires at Financial Trust House (2014), Bookshop House (2015), UBA House (2016), Elephant House (2017), Unity House (2018) and Western House (2019), to more recent incidents at Chellarams Building (2021) and Independence House (2022), the pattern has remained unbroken. In 2025 alone, Afriland Towers, Mandilas House and GNI House were all affected by fire outbreaks.

The most recent GNI inferno, which erupted on Christmas Eve, led to a partial collapse of the already weakened structure and threatened neighbouring buildings, including the over 130-year-old Shitta-Bey Mosque. The BCPG warned that repeated exposure to fire has significantly compromised the structural integrity of several buildings in the area.

Beyond structural damage, the guild said the recurring fires have imposed enormous economic and social costs. Citing figures by the Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, it noted that property losses from fire incidents in the past year exceeded ₦19 billion, although assets valued at ₦117 billion were salvaged. Each fire, it added, disrupts business activities in Nigeria’s foremost commercial district and erodes investor confidence.

The BCPG also highlighted the misuse of high-rise buildings, with many converted from approved corporate use into shops and warehouses packed with combustible materials. This, it said, has heightened fire risks and forced some organisations to relocate, leaving buildings underutilised and poorly managed.

Following its on-site assessment of the GNI building at 47/57 Martins Street, the guild issued an urgent warning about the imminent danger of total collapse. It disclosed that the building had been burning continuously since December 24, 2025, with access constraints hampering firefighting efforts. Explosive spalling of concrete and falling debris, it said, endangered bystanders and nearby structures.

While commending the combined efforts of federal and state fire services, emergency agencies and security operatives, the guild noted that congested access routes, distance from water sources and unsafe building conversions significantly hampered firefighting operations, allowing the inferno to rage for six days.

Consequently, the BCPG called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and relevant authorities to take decisive action, including a comprehensive investigation into the GNI fire, a 90-day audit of all high-rise buildings on Lagos Island, strict enforcement of fire safety compliance and compulsory fire insurance under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025.

The guild also demanded urgent demolition of the partially collapsed GNI structure, warning that allowing it to fail naturally would pose catastrophic risks.

“Lagos cannot afford another preventable conflagration,” the statement concluded, stressing that only sustained action across governance, technology, preparedness and community engagement can safeguard lives, property and the city’s economic future.