Midnight Inferno Devastates Oranyan Market: 300 Shops, Billions Lost in Ibadan Fire Disaster
A devastating midnight fire has swept through Oranyan Market in Ibadan, destroying an estimated 300 shops and reducing millions of naira worth of goods—including gold, furniture, and second-hand clothing—to ashes in the latest of a series of market disasters to hit Oyo State.
IBADAN, Nigeria – A fierce fire outbreak has gutted the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State, destroying approximately 300 shops and leaving hundreds of traders in despair as they count their losses. The blaze, which erupted around midnight on Sunday, August 23, 2026, quickly spread through the densely packed market, consuming businesses that included jewellery shops, furniture outlets, second-hand clothing stores, and other commercial enterprises. Witnesses described scenes of panic as traders rushed to salvage what they could from the raging inferno, but the speed and intensity of the flames left little room for recovery.
According to eyewitness accounts, the fire began in the middle of the market with a loud explosion before spreading rapidly to adjacent shops. A trader who identified herself as Iya Alia told reporters that the fire started around midnight and that those affected included gold sellers, furniture shops, second-hand clothes shops, and many others, with the number of affected shops almost reaching 300. Another eyewitness, who requested anonymity, described the incident as devastating, stating that the destruction was huge and that close to 300 shops were destroyed, adding that he did not even know how to explain the magnitude of the loss.
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Confirming the incident on Monday morning, Morof Akinwande, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services, stated that firefighters were able to bring the situation under control by 1 a.m. Akinwande confirmed that the fire occurred and started in the middle of the market with an explosion, whether from gas or other sources, and noted that once a gas explosion occurs, it tends to spread quickly. However, he cautioned that the exact number of shops destroyed and the full value of goods lost cannot yet be confirmed, as these figures will be determined through a post-fire investigation and inventory assessment, making it too early to provide an accurate count.
This latest disaster is part of a worrying trend of market fire outbreaks in Ibadan. In 2024, a similar fire incident at the herbal section of the same Oranyan Market destroyed over 200 shops, leaving many traders bankrupt and struggling to rebuild their livelihoods. Just days before this incident, on Saturday, August 22, 2026, another fire outbreak razed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway Shopping Complex along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, where one trader reported losing goods worth approximately 21 million naira, further underscoring the recurring nature of these commercial disasters.
For many affected traders, the fire represents a total loss of livelihood. Gold dealers, who typically keep high-value inventory in their shops, are believed to have suffered some of the heaviest losses, while furniture makers and second-hand clothing sellers also saw their entire stock consumed by the flames. As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether the explosion that triggered the blaze was caused by a gas cylinder, electrical fault, or other factors, with findings expected to guide future preventive measures.
The recurring nature of these market fires has reignited calls for improved fire safety measures in Ibadan’s commercial districts. Traders and community leaders are urging the Oyo State Government to conduct safety audits of major markets, enforce building codes, and provide better firefighting equipment and emergency response systems to prevent future tragedies, as the emotional and financial toll on affected traders continues to mount.