Frequent fire outbreaks have once again raised serious safety concerns and emergency preparedness at Singer Market in Kano, one of the city’s busiest commercial centres.
The latest inferno has left traders counting their losses, renewing calls for stronger regulation, improved infrastructure and long-term solutions to protect livelihoods.
Singer Market in Kano is one of the city’s most vibrant commercial hubs, home to dense clusters of traders dealing in assorted food items and general merchandise that serve both urban and rural communities across northern Nigeria.
The market functions as a daily economic engine, attracting wholesalers, retailers, artisans, transporters and buyers from neighboring states and even across national borders, supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs but threatened by incessant fire attacks.
Last week, the market witnessed yet another fire outbreak, destroying goods billions of naira and leaving behind charred shop structures and scattered debris—remnants of items once meant for sale, now reduced to ashes.
Market authorities say the cause of the latest incident is yet to be determined.
For affected traders, fire disasters often mean the sudden loss of years of investment, leaving families economically stranded.
Traders blame congestion and unregulated street trading, saying these challenges make rescue and emergency response efforts extremely difficult during disasters.
There are growing calls for the market to be relocated or decentralised to ease congestion and minimise losses during future fire outbreaks.
Beyond relocation, stakeholders are also urging strict enforcement requiring shop owners to install and maintain fire extinguishers as a basic safety measure.
The latest fire outbreak has drawn the attention of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, who paid a sympathy visit to the market. During the visit, the governor announced donations to affected traders and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to upgrading market infrastructure to improve safety and resilience.
Stakeholders insist that only a whole-of-society approach can permanently curb the incessant fires at Singer Market, as calls intensify for the establishment of an emergency or endowment fund to support victims of recurring disasters.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
