Building Shut Indefinitely
Afriland Towers, the Lagos high-rise building where a
fire erupted last Tuesday and has since left at least 10 people dead, is owned
and managed by Afriland Properties Plc, the real estate investment arm of
billionaire Tony Elumelu’s Heirs Holdings Group.
Heirs Holdings, a family-owned investment company chaired by Elumelu, has interests spanning banking, power, healthcare, and hospitality.
Through Afriland Properties, the group oversees several
landmark projects, including Afriland Towers at 97–105 Broad Street, Lagos
Island. The building also houses a branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA),
where Elumelu serves as chairman.
“Afriland is owned by Tony Elumelu, who then rents part
of it to his bank, UBA,” an inside source said.
Elumelu
Speaks On Tragedy
Last Wednesday, Elumelu expressed deep sorrow over the
fire outbreak at the building.
In a statement, Elumelu said he was “shattered” by the
tragedy, describing it as a painful reminder of the irreplaceable value of
people who drive the company’s mission daily.
“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,” he said.
Elumelu said that he learnt of the incident while en
route to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and decided
to cut short his trip and return to Lagos “as a mark of respect to our lost
colleagues.”
He urged staff and colleagues to show solidarity by
reaching out to those injured and currently receiving care, stressing that the
company would provide sustained support to the bereaved families.
The fire, which broke out on Tuesday afternoon, initially
caused widespread panic after reports circulated that UBA’s headquarters was on
fire.
UBA later issued a statement to calm fears, stressing
that its Marina head office, UBA House, was not involved in the incident.
“We are aware of the fire incident at a building on Broad
Street, Lagos Island, which incidentally houses one of our many branches in
Lagos Island,” the bank said
“As against reports on online and social media, the
affected building is not UBA House, Marina, the Bank’s head office.”
The bank added that all staff, customers, and visitors at
the Broad Street branch were safely evacuated.
Despite those assurances, it was later confirmed that at
least 10 people died in the fire. Videos shared online showed desperate office
workers leaping from windows to escape the smoke-filled floors, while passersby
mounted frantic rescue efforts with makeshift equipment.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as smoke billowed
from the tower, drawing large crowds to Broad Street while emergency responders
struggled to gain access.
Meanwhile, Afriland Towers will remain closed
indefinitely following the deadly fire incident.
Afriland’s
Account of Events
Afriland Properties Plc confirmed the fatalities in a statement on Friday, while also outlining the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
According to the company, the fire started around 1:20
p.m. in the inverter room located in the building’s basement.
Safety alarms were triggered immediately, and on-site
officers activated emergency fire protocols.
However, despite the swift response, thick black smoke
and extreme heat rapidly engulfed the building, complicating evacuation
efforts.
Afriland stressed that no staff or tenants would be
required to return to the building until comprehensive structural assessments,
safety audits, post-fire cleaning, and any necessary reconstruction had been
completed.
According to the company, the building will only reopen
once it is fully certified safe.
On why UBA’s initial statement was dismissive when
Afriland and Heirs Holdings are their sister companies, Chukwunonso Okafor, its
(Afriland’s) Head of Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications, said, “We
believe that the initial statement was intended to prevent emergency services
from being misdirected, as early reports mistakenly suggested that the UBA head
office was on fire.
“We also acknowledge their subsequent clarifications and
their expressions of sympathy.”
Eyewitness accounts had raised questions about why some
occupants were forced to jump from windows to escape.
Afriland explained that the smoke rapidly filled the
building, severely restricting visibility and access to evacuation routes. The intensity
of the incident, the company added, created confusion and hindered effective
communication.
The firm claimed that the building was equipped with fire
alarms, smoke extractors, extinguishers, and other safety systems in compliance
with federal and state requirements.
While alarms were triggered, Afriland acknowledged that
not all occupants heard them, noting that this gap was now under investigation.
Responding to criticism of the delayed emergency
response, Afriland clarified that first responders arrived about 20 minutes
after the fire began, not three hours as some reports suggested.
Afriland also addressed questions about the building’s
design. The company stated that Afriland Towers has two dedicated emergency
staircases and multiple ground-floor exit points.
It, however, added that the rapid spread of smoke limited
their usability.
On casualties, Afriland confirmed that 10 fatalities were
recorded, including staff of United Capital Plc and the Federal Inland Revenue
Service.
The cause of death, based on preliminary findings, was
primarily smoke inhalation. Afriland said it was working closely with the
families of the deceased to provide both financial and emotional support.
The company emphasised that regular fire drills had been
conducted at the Towers, overseen by the fire service, and that the building
had valid certifications verifying compliance with safety standards.
Meanwhile, Afriland acknowledged that the tragedy
revealed critical lessons and pledged to strengthen safety protocols across all
properties under its management.
In the aftermath, Afriland Towers will remain closed
until it undergoes structural assessments, safety audits, post-fire cleaning,
and any necessary reconstruction.
Labour
Union Reacts
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expressed grief on Thursday over the tragic fire incident.
In a statement signed by its acting President, Comrade
Prince Adewale Adeyanju, the union also condemned what it described as systemic
negligence and state failure in preventing recurring fire outbreaks across
Lagos.
"These fires are totally not accidents of fate. They are products of systemic rot, institutional negligence, and the reckless disregard for safety rules and human dignity that have become the hallmark of governance in Nigeria,” it said.
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