A fire has destroyed part of the Kugbo Furniture Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway. The blaze broke out on Friday morning. It swept through a section where traders deal in timber, foams, boards and furniture accessories. Traders estimate losses at over ₦500 million. No lives were reported lost.
Kugbo Market is one of Abuja’s largest furniture and timber hubs. Fires are recurring. In 2025, the FCT Fire Service partnered with the market to strengthen safety. The measures did not prevent this outbreak. Markets across Nigeria face similar risks. In 2024, fires destroyed sections of Balogun Market in Lagos and Kantin Kwari in Kano. Poor electrical wiring, flammable materials and weak fire response are common factors.
An eyewitness, Mary Aniekan, said the fire started when electricity was restored. “The fire started when AEDC restored electricity,” she said. “Firefighters came but their water finished.” The Chairman of the Kugbo Wood Machinist Association, Godswill Ndukwe, confirmed the incident. “The affected section houses foams, woods, local and foreign boards and furniture accessories,” he said. “Goods worth five hundred million were burnt.”
Traders appealed to the AMAC and FCT Administration for help. “We have had several of these incidents, and officials will come and make promises, but nothing happens afterwards,” Ndukwe said. Traders were seen trying to salvage what they could from the debris.
Winners: No winners. Competitors may gain temporarily. Fire safety contractors may receive new business. Losers: Traders who lost shops and inventory. Their employees. The local economy. The FCT Fire Service, whose response was inadequate. AMAC and the FCT Administration, whose promises ring hollow.
Bottom Line: A fire destroyed ₦500 million in goods. Traders lost their livelihoods. The fire service ran out of water. The same market has burned before. Promises were made. Nothing changed. The next fire is a matter of time.