A large blaze ripped through Mandilas Market on Lagos Island late Thursday, destroying at least 120 shops and leaving one person injured, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed. The incident was shared on social media by Nigeria Stories, which quoted NEMA’s initial assessment.
Witnesses posted dramatic images of flames and thick smoke rising from the multi-storey market as emergency responders worked to contain the fire. By the time crews brought the blaze under control, dozens of stalls and shopfronts had been gutted; many traders were left counting losses and salvaging what they could.
NEMA said the cause of the outbreak is still under investigation. Officials on site were conducting search and safety checks and making preliminary damage assessments. No fatalities were reported in initial updates, but traders and customers face disruption and potential long-term losses while recovery and clean-up continue.
Market authorities and emergency services urged residents to avoid the area to allow response teams to complete their work and to reduce the risk of secondary incidents. Businesses affected by the fire will likely await further assessments from government agencies and insurance providers to determine the full scale of economic damage.
Further details are expected as officials finalize their investigations and provide a full inventory of affected properties and any relief measures for displaced traders.
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