The African Policy and Research Consortium (APRC) has mourned the loss of ten lives in the Afriland Towers fire on Lagos Island, calling for urgent reforms to strengthen public safety and resilience in high-rise buildings across Africa.
In a statement signed by its Chief Executive Coordinator, Professor Steve Azaiki (OON), the consortium — an alliance of think tanks, research institutions, diaspora policy centers, and governance leaders — described the tragedy as a “poignant reminder of the fragility of human life and the urgent need to safeguard public spaces.”
Among the dead were employees of Heirs Holdings and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a loss the APRC said goes beyond institutional concerns, reflecting the silenced hopes and contributions of professionals, parents, and community members.
“Their absence leaves a void no ceremony or memorial can ever fill, yet their legacies endure in the collective memory of Nigeria’s civic and economic community,” the statement read.
The APRC linked the disaster to recurring lapses in fire safety across Africa, citing the 2019 Ochanja Market fire in Onitsha, the 2018 Twin Tower blaze in Nairobi, and Ghana’s historic Asafo Market inferno. It said such incidents highlight systemic weaknesses in emergency response, occupational safety, and building compliance.
While commending first responders and citizens who risked their lives to save others, the group insisted that Africa “cannot continue to mourn preventable deaths from infrastructure fires.”
It noted that the rapid spread of smoke from the basement inverter room of Afriland Towers exposed the vulnerability of high-rise structures under current safety standards.
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The consortium urged Nigerian and African governments to:
Strengthen fire and emergency response infrastructure.
Enforce strict compliance with building and occupational safety codes.
Invest in fire drills and staff training for crisis preparedness.
Partner with the private sector to set continental benchmarks for safety in commercial spaces.
“Afriland Towers was more than a building; it was a hub of enterprise and a symbol of modern Nigeria,” APRC said.
“That it has become the site of such grief must awaken in us a collective resolve: never again should avoidable tragedy diminish the value of African lives.”
The group concluded by standing in solidarity with bereaved families and institutions, pledging to advance policies that put “human safety, dignity, and life at the center of Africa’s development agenda.”