The Federal Government has approved N5 billion as an intervention fund for traders affected by the fire outbreak that devastated the popular Singer Market in Kano.
This was disclosed in a statement shared by Nigerian Vice-President, Kashim Shettima on X.
The intervention comes after a major inferno destroyed goods and livelihoods, leaving hundreds of traders struggling to recover.
What the Vice President said
According to Shettima, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the N5 billion support to help victims rebuild their businesses and restore commercial activity in the market.
- “The Federal Government has approved the sum of N5 billion as an intervention fund for traders affected by the fire outbreak that razed large sections of the popular Singer Market in Kano,” he stated
He added that governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, under the Progressive Governors’ Forum, also donated N3 billion to victims of the inferno.
- The combined intervention brings total relief support to N8 billion, aimed at cushioning losses and accelerating recovery for hundreds of affected traders.
- Authorities described the incident as not only a loss to Kano State but a setback to regional commerce, given the market’s role in northern Nigeria’s trade network.
Backstory
The fire that devastated Singer Market over the weekend is one of the worst market disasters recorded in Kano in recent years.
- The blaze broke out on Saturday evening, February 14, 2026, and continued into Sunday, destroying large sections of the densely packed trading hub and disrupting economic activities across the city.
- The incident reportedly began in Gidan Gilas, a section dominated by provision stores, before spreading rapidly through tightly packed shops. Seven people were initially reported missing as emergency responders searched through the wreckage.
- According to reports, early assessments show the fire destroyed over 1,000 shops, crippling livelihoods and affecting hundreds of families dependent on daily trading activities.
What you should know
Market fires remain a recurring challenge in major Nigerian commercial centres, often linked to electrical faults, amongst others, repeatedly causing massive losses.
Earlier this year, a fire broke out at a building in Computer Village, one of the country’s largest technology markets. The blaze, which destroyed computers and accessories, was contained by emergency responders from LASEMA, who implemented damping-down operations to prevent re-ignition while protecting neighbouring structures. (nairametrics.com
- Fires have also affected other parts of the country. The GSM Market in Damaturu, Yobe State, suffered a devastating fire that destroyed 34 shops and goods valued at approximately N150 million. Traders reported that the fire spread rapidly despite early efforts by local residents and fire service personnel, with the exact cause remaining uncertain, though electrical and solar installations were suspected. Governor Mai Mala Buni subsequently donated N100 million to support affected traders, highlighting the human and economic toll such disasters take.
- Even earlier, in March 2024, fires gutted multiple buildings in the Eko Idumota Market in Lagos, affecting several buildings including a two‑storey and a three‑storey structure that housed shops selling clothes, bags and shoes
