The Lagos State House of Assembly has urged chairmen of all 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to work with law enforcement agencies and market associations to enforce fire safety regulations in markets and other crowded commercial centres, while also calling for a stakeholders’ meeting on fire incidents.

The resolution followed deliberations at Tuesday’s plenary on the recent fire at Afriland Towers, Broad Street, Lagos Island, which claimed lives and destroyed property.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, expressed concern over the frequent fire outbreaks on Lagos Island despite the presence of firefighting equipment.

“Despite the presence of markets in Mushin and other areas, such incidences are not common but occur frequently on Lagos Island.

There is therefore a need to meet with stakeholders,” Obasa said, adding that the House would reach a final resolution after engaging with relevant parties.

The motion, sponsored by Hon. Rauf Age-Sulaimon (Amuwo-Odofin II), urged the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development as well as the Lagos State Safety Commission to intensify enforcement of building regulations. Lawmakers stressed that all public and private buildings, especially in commercial hubs, must comply with fire and building safety codes.

The Assembly also condemned the rising trend of converting residential areas and public spaces into markets and commercial use, describing the practice as a major hindrance to emergency rescue operations during disasters.

Citing existing regulatory frameworks, the lawmakers recalled that the state had enacted several laws to enhance disaster prevention, rescue operations, and public safety. These include the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Law, 2025; the Lagos State Safety Commission Law, 2011; the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Law, 2008; and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law, 2014.

They further noted that divisional fire stations had been established across the state’s five administrative zones—Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe—to ensure quicker emergency response.

Despite these measures, the Assembly raised concerns over continued unlawful conversion of residential buildings, absence of fire hydrants in critical infrastructure, use of substandard materials, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Lawmakers warned that these lapses have fueled recurring fire incidents, including the recent tragedies at Afriland Towers and Emab Plaza, resulting in avoidable loss of lives and property.