Lagos boosts emergency response with new fire stations, modern equipment
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The Lagos State Government on Monday said it has expanded its emergency management capacity with the addition of 11 new fire stations, the deployment of 62 modern firefighting vehicles and equipment, the reconstruction of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, and the recruitment of 150 additional firefighters currently undergoing training at the upgraded Fire Academy.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure at the opening of the Lagos International Fire Safety Conference 3.0, themed “Preventing the Preventable: Strengthening Fire Safety in Buildings and Business Hubs,” held at the Marriott Hotel in Ikeja. Represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the governor said the state would continue to strengthen its emergency response capacity while placing greater emphasis on prevention, enforcement, public education and strategic partnerships.
Sanwo-Olu said the state had intensified enforcement of fire safety regulations through stricter inspections and the implementation of the Fire Safety Levy. He stressed that compliance should go beyond obtaining certificates to ensuring that fire safety equipment and systems remain functional at all times. He added that the interventions had increased the number of fire stations in the state to 29, with additional stations under construction in Yaba, Ikotun and Oworonshoki.
The governor also highlighted the Fire Marshal Programme, an initiative designed to train volunteers in homes, schools, markets, offices, places of worship and factories to identify fire hazards early, coordinate evacuations and work closely with emergency responders before incidents escalate. He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to sustained investment in personnel, equipment and systems to safeguard lives and property.
Similarly, it was also disclosed that emergency responders rescued more than 1,900 people and saved property valued at an estimated ₦118 billion in 2025, underscoring the impact of ongoing investments in fire prevention and emergency response.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Hon. Olawale Rauf Age-Suleiman, reiterated the legislature’s commitment to promoting safety. He described safety as a collective responsibility and urged participants to ensure that the conference produces practical and lasting solutions to fire disasters.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, said the conference challenged stakeholders to move beyond emergency response by identifying the root causes of fire outbreaks, applying lessons from previous incidents, embracing innovation and implementing preventive measures to reduce risks before disasters occur.
Oyerinde added that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service saved properties valued at more than ₦118 billion within the last year, attributing the achievement to the professionalism of emergency responders and the state government’s sustained investment in emergency response, fire prevention, public education and the modernization of fire and rescue operations.
