Shettima to head FG delegation to Kano as repeated Singer Market fires raise safety concerns

Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead a high-level Federal Government delegation to Kano on Monday in a show of solidarity with traders affected by the latest fire outbreak at the popular Singer Market, as authorities intensify efforts to address the growing pattern of devastating market fires in the state.

The visit comes amid two major fire incidents at the market within a fortnight — a development that has heightened anxiety among traders and prompted calls for urgent structural and safety reforms at one of Nigeria’s largest food commodity hubs.

According to official sources, the delegation will convey the condolences of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to victims who lost goods worth billions of naira in the weekend blaze, which began on Saturday evening and raged into Sunday morning, destroying large sections of the market.

Beyond expressing sympathy, the team is expected to announce immediate federal intervention to cushion the economic impact on thousands of affected traders and support the Kano State Government in fast-tracking the reopening of the market, a critical commercial nerve centre in northern Nigeria’s food supply chain.

Members of the delegation are expected to include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; Senator Kawu Ismaila; and Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Kabir Bichi.

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Also on the team are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard M. Doro, and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, underscoring the emergency relief dimension of the visit.

Singer Market, widely regarded as one of the largest grain and food commodity markets in the country, had only just begun to recover from an earlier fire that destroyed dozens of shops and storage facilities when the latest incident occurred. The recurrence has left many traders financially devastated and raised concerns about fire safety infrastructure, access routes for emergency responders, and compliance with storage regulations.

President Tinubu, who had earlier spoken by telephone with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, described the repeated incidents as deeply troubling and directed a comprehensive investigation into their causes.

The probe is expected to examine possible electrical faults, handling and storage practices for flammable goods, the adequacy of firefighting facilities, and broader compliance with market safety standards.

Economic analysts say the destruction at Singer Market has implications beyond Kano, as the market plays a central role in the distribution of grains and other staple foods across several northern and central states. The losses are therefore likely to affect food supply chains, commodity prices, and the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on the market.

Several affected traders said they were yet to recover from the previous fire before the latest incident destroyed their shops and wiped out their remaining capital.

The Federal Government’s planned financial support is expected to complement relief measures already being considered by the Kano State Government, including temporary trading arrangements and reconstruction plans.

The vice president’s visit is also seen as signalling the strategic importance of the market and the need for coordinated federal and state action to prevent further incidents.

As investigations begin, stakeholders are increasingly calling for a comprehensive safety overhaul of major markets nationwide, including modern firefighting systems, improved layout planning, strict enforcement of safety regulations, and wider insurance coverage for traders, to curb the recurring threat of market fires across Nigeria’s informal commercial sector.