Questions on Negligence Raised As Fire Exposes UBA’s Fatal Safety Gaps

The fire that tore through Afriland Tower, housing a United Bank for Africa (UBA) branch among other businesses on Broad street, Lagos Island, on Tuesday has raised serious concerns about the safety preparedness in public and private buildings with analysts pointing to negligence that cost lives.

The Afriland Tower used to be known as UBA Properties, fully owned by Heir Holdings, houses several subsidiaries of Heir Holdings, including Afriland Properties Plc and a branch of UBA Plc as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Deputy Controller General of the Lagis State Fire Service, LSFRS, Ogabi Olajide, confirmed that the fire originated in the inverter room located in the basement, while smoke engulfed multiple floors.

The inferno, traced to the inverter room in the basement, quickly filled several floors with smoke, sending staff and customers into panic. This, he said, caused many struggling to find fire exits, forcing some to attempt dangerous escapes through windows and ladders as firefighters from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu stations fought the blaze.

The management of UBA watered down the severity of the incident with a statement issued insisting that no lives were lost and clarifying that its Marina head office was not affected.

However, the chairman of the bank, Tony Elumelu categorically disclosed that lives were lost and he mourned the lost staff he described as ” colleagues”.

The Chairman who cut short his trip to the United States of America, said in a
personally signed statement that a minute’s silence was observed for the deceased at 12pm on Wednesday.

Elumelu wrote: “I am shattered by yesterday’s devastating incident at Afriland Towers that took the lives of our dear colleagues.

“No words can capture the magnitude of this loss — not for their families who loved them, not for the friends who valued them, and not for those of us who worked beside them.

“Yesterday was a stark reminder of what truly matters: our irreplaceable people, those who walk through our doors each day and share our mission.

“I learnt of this on my way to the US, enroute to New York for UNGA.

“I have cut short my trip to return to Lagos as a mark of respect to our lost colleagues.

“As we navigate this grief, I urge you all to reach out to those who are receiving care.

“In the coming days, we will convene colleagues in a memorial to honour the memories of the departed, as we provide support to their families.

“I also want to thank all those who supported in one way or the other, from emergency responders and first aid workers to members of the public who showed courage and compassion.

“A minute’s silence will be observed today at12:00 noon, WAT, across all our group companies.

“May this never happen again in our Group.

“May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.”

Also confirming casualties, the management and staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in a statement yesterday said it was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four of its staff, adding that the unfortunate incident has thrown the entire FIRS community into mourning.

“FIRS occupies the sixth and seventh floors of Afriland Towers, where the Medium Tax Audit and Onikan Emerging Tax office are located. Upon being alerted, our Security and Safety officials swiftly mobilised and contacted the fire service, but by the time the emergency responders arrived, thick smoke had already engulfed the building.

“The management and staff of FIRS extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We honour the memory of our departed colleagues whose professionalism and dedication were exemplary.

“FIRS remains in close touch with the families and will provide every necessary support during this difficult time. In addition, we are reviewing and strengthening safety measures across all FIRS offices nationwide, both rented and owned, to ensure the safety of our people remains paramount,” the statement read

The incident has ignited questions of workplace safety. Whether basic fire safeguards were ignored as investigation discovered that Afriland Tower, like many Lagos Island high-rises, runs on large inverter systems — a known fire hazard if not properly monitored.

Fire experts say an inverter room blaze should have been contained at source if alarms, sprinklers and smoke dampers were in place. Instead, smoke spread uncontrolled across floors, exposing what regulators call a “weak safety culture” in Lagos’ financial district.

“From what we saw, most of the occupants had no clear evacuation drill. This points to inadequate compliance with fire safety requirements,” a senior Lagos Fire & Rescue officer told this newspaper.

Records show that the last broad fire drill for financial institutions on Lagos Island took place in 2022. It is not yet clear if UBA’s Broad Street branch had renewed its fire safety certification. Despite repeated inquiries, the bank has not disclosed the date of its last fire audit.

Under Nigeria’s Fire Safety Code, commercial buildings must maintain smoke detectors, sprinklers, hydrants, and conduct regular evacuation drills. Several witnesses, however, said exits were poorly marked and staff seemed untrained to handle a live fire situation.

Though UBA has pledged cooperation with regulators, with its spokesperson stating the bank “remains committed to international best practices.” The Lagos State Fire & Rescue Service says a full investigation is underway.

A Lagos-based safety consultant said “If negligence is not punished, the next fire could claim dozens of lives.”

For many, the Broad Street blaze is less a freak accident and more a grim reminder that in Nigeria’s commercial capital, fire safety is too often an afterthought — until disaster strikes.

However, neither UBA nor the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, nor hospitals cited in mainstream media was able to confirm the actual number if casualties and fatalities.