FG, APC Governors Donate N8bn to Kano Market Fire Victims
The Federal Government has approved N5 billion for traders affected by the Singer Market fire in Kano. Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the support on Monday during a visit to the market. He said President Bola Tinubu approved the fund to help victims rebuild their businesses and resume trade.
In addition, the All Progressives Congress Governors Forum pledged N3 billion. The forum is led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. Altogether, both donations bring the total support to N8 billion for the affected traders.
Meanwhile, the fire broke out on Saturday evening, February 14, 2026, in the Gidan Glass section along Ado Bayero Road. Thereafter, the flames spread to nearby shops and continued into Sunday morning. Emergency responders later brought the situation under control.
As a result, more than 1,000 shops were destroyed. Traders lost goods, equipment and working capital worth billions of naira. In the same vein, seven traders were reportedly feared missing as of Monday.
Preliminary findings suggest a possible solar battery explosion triggered the fire. However, authorities say investigations are still ongoing to confirm the exact cause.
During his visit, Shettima described the incident as a major economic setback for Kano State. Furthermore, he assured victims that the Federal Government would continue to support recovery efforts. The governors of Jigawa, Kebbi and Imo states accompanied him on the visit. They met with traders and inspected the damaged sections of the market.
Similarly, Chairman of the Singer Market Traders Association, Junaid Zakari, thanked the government for the intervention. He said the funds would help traders who lost their means of livelihood. He also promised transparency in the distribution process.
Notably, this is the second major fire at the market within two weeks. Consequently, traders have called for stricter safety measures and improved emergency response systems to prevent another disaster.
