Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has issued an update on the fire incident that engulfed the Great Nigeria Insurance GNI Building on Martins Street, Lagos, while calling for calm.
The Governor, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, on Thursday, assured Lagosians that the situation is under control.
He added that no casualty has been recorded as emergency responders continue containment and safety operations at the scene.
What the government is saying
According to the Lagos State Government, the distress call was received at about 4:41 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, prompting an immediate response from fire crews at the Ebute Elefun and Dolphin Fire Stations.
- Additional reinforcement was later deployed from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station and the Alausa Headquarters.
- Firefighters reportedly arrived at the scene within 12 minutes, at about 4:53 p.m., and commenced coordinated efforts to contain the blaze and prevent its spread to adjoining structures.
- Preliminary findings indicate that the fire originated from the fifth floor of the building before spreading to other levels.
“Governor Sanwo Olu, who has been personally monitoring the incident since it was reported, directed the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to intensify response efforts and ensure the evacuation of surrounding buildings to safeguard public safety,” the statement read in part.
“He also maintained constant communication with emergency responders and security agencies well into the early hours of the morning.
“As at about 3:40 a.m., when the fire had largely subsided, the governor was still receiving updates and issuing directives,” it added.
The governor specifically instructed emergency personnel to ensure that no individual was left behind in the building, stressing that the protection of human life must take precedence over property.
Building now used for warehousing and retail
The government disclosed that the affected structure, which was formerly used as corporate office space, currently serves mainly as a warehouse and retail outlet for clothing materials.
Security agencies have since been deployed to cordon off the area, while first responders continue conducting safety assessments to prevent secondary incidents.
Governor Sanwo Olu commended firefighters and first responders for their swift and courageous intervention, while reassuring residents that the state government remains fully on top of the situation.
“Our priority is the safety of lives. I have directed that the building and its surroundings be thoroughly secured and that emergency personnel must ensure that no one is left inside. Lagosians should remain calm; the situation is under control,” the governor said.
Backstory
Nairametrics earlier reported that a massive fire had broken out at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House.
According to a situation report from the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, the fire reportedly started from an apartment on the fourth floor.
It quickly spread to other parts of the floor, later reaching the sixth floor with rapid upward momentum.
