Over the years, several fire outbreaks have occurred in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, leading to extensive property damage, loss of lives and the displacement of students.
Recent incidents occurred at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State; Gombe State University; North-West University, Kano; University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC); Bayero University, Kano (BUK); Kwara State Polytechnic and several others.
These incidents have affected hostels, libraries, laboratories and administrative buildings, disrupting academic activities and causing huge financial setbacks for the respective institutions and affected students. In many cases, lack of functional fire safety systems and poor emergency response mechanisms are blamed.
Consequently, experts have repeatedly called for improved safety standards, including regular fire drills, installation of modern firefighting equipment and strict adherence to building regulations within campuses.
They also emphasised the need for better infrastructure maintenance and awareness campaigns on fire prevention. Many stakeholders believed that proactive measures by school authorities and government agencies will go a long way in averting future occurrences and protecting lives and valuable academic resources.
In response to these concerns, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has unveiled plans to set up fire stations in public universities across Nigeria as part of its initiative to enhance fire safety and safeguard national assets within higher institutions.
The Executive Secretary, TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, made this known when the Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Samuel Adeyemi, led a high-level delegation on a courtesy visit.
In his remarks, Echono praised the FFS for its commitment to protecting lives and property and expressed gratitude for the visit, describing it as timely and strategically important.
He noted that the recent rise in fire incidents across tertiary institutions underscores the urgency of establishing functional fire stations and equipping campuses with modern safety infrastructure.
According to him, the Fund is determined to collaborate closely with relevant agencies to ensure that public universities are adequately protected from fire disasters.
Echono further explained that the initiative aligns with TETFund’s broader mandate of providing critical infrastructure and promoting a safe learning environment in higher education institutions. He emphasised that safeguarding assets such as libraries, laboratories, and research facilities is essential to sustaining academic excellence and preventing the loss of valuable national resources. The proposed fire stations, he added, would be strategically located to serve both the institutions and surrounding communities in case of emergencies.
He also highlighted the importance of capacity building and training for staff and students on fire prevention and emergency response. The TETFund boss said by partnering with the Federal Fire Service, the agency hopes to develop comprehensive safety programmes that include fire drills, installation of fire alarms, and maintenance of firefighting equipment. He assured that the Fund would continue to prioritise interventions that promote safety, resilience, and sustainability in the education sector.
“We cannot provide these national assets without thinking about how to keep them functional and safe for the users. Fire protection is therefore essential installing devices such as hydrants, sprinklers, and smoke detectors, while also ensuring that personnel are adequately trained to respond to fire emergencies.
“We have had fire incidents here twice in the last one year, which prompted a comprehensive integrity test of our electrical installations and facilities. Prevention is a more effective weapon, and that is what this collaboration seeks to achieve.
“We will support this initiative through targeted interventions, while the Fire Service provides the needed manpower, training, and technical expertise,” he added.
The TETFund boss also disclosed that discussions were ongoing to formalise the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering areas such as staff training, risk assessment, and institutional safety audits.
Earlier, Adeyemi lauded TETFund for its remarkable efforts in transforming Nigeria’s higher education landscape. He described TETFund’s interventions in infrastructure development, research support, and institutional strengthening as monumental and instrumental to the growth of tertiary education in the country. According to him, the visible impact of TETFund projects across campuses is a testament to the Fund’s commitment to quality education and national development.
Adeyemi noted with concern that several universities across the country had recently experienced devastating fire incidents, which led to the destruction of vital academic facilities, including hostels, libraries, and laboratories. He lamented that in some cases, the incidents also claimed lives and caused severe disruptions to academic activities. The Comptroller-General emphasised that these occurrences highlight the urgent need for stronger fire prevention mechanisms and emergency response systems within higher institutions.
“In 2024 alone, we recorded fire outbreaks in three federal universities, including hostels where about 29 rooms were destroyed and several students lost their lives. This is why we are seeking stronger collaboration with TETFund,” Adeyemi said.
He assured that the Federal Fire Service remains committed to working closely with TETFund and other stakeholders to develop a coordinated strategy for campus fire safety. This, he said, would include training university personnel in basic firefighting techniques, installing early warning systems, and establishing fully equipped fire stations across major campuses.
Adeyemi expressed confidence that with proper planning and collaboration, the initiative would significantly minimise fire risks and safeguard critical educational assets across the country.
The Fire Service chief emphasised the importance of setting up fire stations across all beneficiary TETFund institutions to ensure swift response during emergencies. He also proposed the creation of a joint inspection unit to conduct regular fire safety evaluations in public tertiary institutions.
“The Federal Fire Service is ready to deploy men and trucks round the clock to protect these institutions. We are also open to training collaborations and the development of our six existing training schools into research and capacity-building centres,” he said.
