Emergencies: Lagos saved ₦118bn property, rescued over 1,900 lives in 2025

…As govt expands fire stations, acquires modern equipment

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that its emergency response agencies saved property valued at about ₦118 billion and rescued more than 1,900 people from emergencies in 2025.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also said his administration has expanded the state’s emergency response capacity by adding 11 new fire stations, commissioning 62 modern firefighting vehicles, rebuilding the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, and recruiting 150 additional firefighters currently undergoing training at the upgraded Fire Academy.

Sanwo-Olu made this known at the opening of the Lagos International Fire Safety Conference 3.0, themed “Preventing the Preventable: Strengthening Fire Safety in Buildings and Business Hubs,” held in Ikeja.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the governor said the state would continue to strengthen emergency response while placing greater emphasis on prevention, enforcement, public education and strategic partnerships.

According to him, the government has intensified enforcement of fire safety regulations through stricter inspections and implementation of the Fire Safety Levy.

He stressed that compliance should go beyond obtaining certificates to ensuring that fire safety equipment and systems remain fully functional.

Sanwo-Olu said the interventions have increased the number of fire stations in the state to 29, with additional stations under construction in Yaba, Ikotun and Oworonshoki.

He also highlighted the introduction of the Fire Marshal Programme, which trains volunteers in homes, schools, markets, offices, places of worship and factories to identify fire risks early, coordinate evacuations and work closely with emergency responders before disasters escalate.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in personnel, equipment and systems needed to protect lives and property, urging property developers, business owners and residents to prioritise fire prevention.

Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Olawale Age-Suleiman, reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to promoting public safety, describing it as a shared responsibility requiring collaboration among all stakeholders.

He urged participants at the conference to develop practical and sustainable solutions to reduce fire disasters.

The Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, said the conference was designed to encourage a shift from emergency response to prevention by identifying the causes of fire incidents, applying lessons learned and embracing innovative safety measures.

He noted that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had saved properties worth over ₦11 billion within the last year, attributing the achievement to sustained government investment in emergency response, fire prevention, public awareness and modern firefighting equipment.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Sadeco, Mr. Vincent Effiong, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening fire safety through innovation, technology and collaboration.

He emphasised the need for greater community engagement, early fire detection, emergency preparedness and stronger partnerships among government, the private sector and emergency responders.

In her presentation titled “Case Studies and Lessons Learned: Lagos Fire Incident Statistics, Trends and Corrective Actions – Sanwo-Olu’s Seven-Year Scorecard,” the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, commended the administration’s sustained investment in infrastructure, equipment, personnel development and operational efficiency.

She described the transformation of the Fire and Rescue Service since 2019 as remarkable, noting significant improvements in its operational capacity and emergency response.