The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos market

  • Festive rush: Seven Lagos markets that boom in December

    Festive rush: Seven Lagos markets that boom in December

    As December ushers in the festive season, shopping activity across Lagos intensifies. From bulk food purchases and fashion fabrics to electronics and gift items, residents throng major markets to prepare for celebrations, travel, and year-end gatherings.

    These seven Lagos markets consistently record peak traffic during the holiday period:

    1. Oshodi Market

    One of Lagos’ busiest commercial centres, Oshodi Market attracts bargain hunters seeking affordable clothing, footwear, bags, and household essentials. December crowds here are among the largest in the city.

    2. Idumota Market

    Located on Lagos Island, Idumota Market is a major hub for fabrics, cosmetics, footwear, and general merchandise. Activity surges as Christmas approaches, with traders recording brisk sales.

    3. Ile Epo Market (Katangua)

    Popularly known as Katangua, Ile Epo Market serves as both a food distribution centre and a major destination for textiles and tailoring materials. In December, shoppers stock up on rice, peppers, vegetables, and other festive staples, while families also buy clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories at prices lower than most boutiques.

    4. Mile 12 Market

    A key food supply hub for Lagos and neighbouring states, Mile 12 Market becomes especially busy in December as households purchase fresh produce and bulk ingredients for holiday meals.

    5. Alaba International Market

    Renowned across West Africa, Alaba International Market is the go-to destination for electronics, home appliances, sound systems, and generators—items in high demand ahead of the festive season.

    6. Balogun Market

    Also situated on Lagos Island, Balogun Market is famed for fashion items, jewellery, and fabrics. Foot traffic rises sharply as shoppers search for party wear and gifts.

    7. Computer Village, Ikeja

    For gadgets and tech accessories, Computer Village remains unmatched. December shoppers visit for phones, laptops, accessories, and quick repairs ahead of the new year.

    These markets reflect the pulse of Lagos during the festive season, as commerce peaks and the city prepares for celebrations.

  • Business booms in Lagos markets on eve of Presidential, NASS elections

    Some Lagos markets witnessed business boom on Friday as Nigerians rounded off preparation for tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections.

    Buyers were seen trooping to Ikotun Market in Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA), for shopping ahead of the restriction of movement during the election period.

    A dealer in tomatoes, Isa Jubril, expressed joy over the volume of business he was able to record during the period, saying that as at 12 noon, he had sold more than two baskets of tomatoes.

    Jubril described the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly election as a “blessing in disguise” considering that the patronage he enjoyed last week was also high.

    Another dealer in frozen foods, Mrs Moriamo Yusuf , said she was very happy with the patronage she got from customers.

    Yusuf said that she had sold eight cartons of frozen foods as at 12.30 p.m, adding that it was a rare opportunity for huge volume patronage, which she likened to the festive period.

    She said there was no arbitrary increase in price of her commodity inspite of the patronage, saying she did not take advantage of customers.

    The situation was not different at the Isolo Market in Oshodi/Isolo LGA, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    A butcher, Mr Haruna Gidado, said he had sold out by 1 p.m.

    Gidado said that he increased the price of the meat slightly in view of the volume of business he transacted with his customers.

    He attributed the high patronage to the holiday declared by the Federal Government, to enable civil servants to travel to their home state to vote for candidates of their choice in the Saturday’s elections.

    Mr Chibuzor Okafor, a dealer in food stuff, similarly said he had been very busy all day since he opened shop, due to the human traffic in the market.

    Okafor, however, said he resisted the temptation to increase prices of items due to the high patronage witnessed in the market.

  • Man docked for stealing meat in Lagos market

    Man docked for stealing meat in Lagos market

    A 31-year-old man, Nurudeen Raimi, was on Monday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly stealing meat worth N67,000 in a Lagos market.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Clement Okuoimose, said that the accused, whose occupation was not stated, committed the offence sometime in May 2010 in Agege, Lagos. He alleged that Raimi, a resident of Iyana Igbenimi Street, Bariga, Lagos, stole the cow meat belonging to one Mr Ibrahim Danbaba. Okuoimose said the accused approached Danbaba to buy meat, and during the bargaining, Danbaba excused himself to urinate.

    The prosecutor said that while Danbaba was away, the accused bolted with the meat without paying. He said that the complainant did not see the accused in the market until 2017, when he got him arrested. Okuoimose said the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes three years jail term for a person convicted of stealing. The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum. The Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Ekogbule adjourned the case until June 5.

  • Outrage as unknown persons demolish Lagos market

    Outrage as unknown persons demolish Lagos market

    More persons and groups continued to voice their anger and outrage at the midnight demolition of the Sabo Market in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The market, The Nation learnt, is the biggest and most popular market in the entire division. A substantial part of the expansive market was demolished by yet to be identified persons by midnight last Friday.
    The Ikorodu North Development Forum (INDEF) expects an immediate inquest into the circumstances leading to the unfortunate demolition of a market where thousands of the residents of the numerous communities scattered all over Ikorodu division are eking out their daily bread. According to the spokesperson of the forum, Funmi Fawehinmi, “it is sad that unknown persons, accompanied by unknown soldiers, invaded our market by midnight and reduced it ti rubbles.
    “However, we are insisting that it is not enough for government to sympathize with the victims of this dastard act, what is important is that the perpetrators must be brought to book and made to face the full wrath of the law. The losses suffered by poor residents of Ikorodu to this wicked act is too much to be allowed to just go like that,” she said.
    Reacting to the development, the member representing Ikorodu constituency 1 in the state assembly, Hon. Sanai Bolanle Agunbiade, regretted that the perpetrators of the demolition are yet to be identified. He however promised not to relent in his effort to get to the root of the matter. He sympathized with the affected traders and assured them that the state government is interested in the matter.
    “My conversations with the Sole Administrator of Ikorodu Local Government, who has been working round the matter, reveals that the council is yet to know who directed and who enforced the demolition. The Commisioner for Physical Planning has been emphatic that neither his Ministry nor any of the Agencies under the Ministry is responsible for the act.
    However, the State Government has been so concerned and top officials of the Government are currently working with the Commisioner for Physical planing to unravel the seemly cloudy but certainly unfortunate scenario. While empathizing with victims of the demolition, I plead with all and sundry, particularly those affected, to treat all insinuations and suspicions with caution, so that we do not aggravate this very ugly situation, “ the lawmaker said.

  • EFCC recovers N250m cash at Lagos market

    EFCC recovers N250m cash at Lagos market

    ANOTHER cash haul was made yesterday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    The agency recovered N250 million at the popular Balogun market in Lagos.
    The cash haul came barely three days after the commission recovered N449 million at an abandoned bureau de change on Victoria Island, Lagos.
    EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, who disclosed yesterday’s incident in a statement, said the discovery followed a tip-off from a whistle-blower.
    The intercepted money, according to him, include 547,730 Euros, 21,090 pounds and N5,648,500 about N250 million at the prevailing exchange rate at the parallel market.
    “The interception followed information that about N250 million cash was being moved somewhere in the market for conversion into foreign currencies by unnamed persons.
    “Operatives responded timely, met the money in a Bureau de Change (BDC) office, but a large chunk of it had been converted into Euro and Pounds sterling.
    “The BDC operators found in possession of the monies claimed they were acting on behalf of their boss who sent the money to them from one of the Northern states in Nigeria,” Uwujaren said.
    He said two suspects were assisting the commission in its investigation.

  • Fire razes three storey building in Lagos market

    Fire razes three storey building in Lagos market

    An inferno Monday morning razed a three storey complex at the popular Ereko market, Lagos Island.

    This incident is coming barely a month after fire engulfed about four plazas in Mandelas, another big market in Lagos Island, destroying wares worth several millions.

    Monday’s outbreak which was said to have affected the second and last floors of the building located at 12b Kosoko Street, Ereko, Idumota, started at about 10am.

    It was learnt that the affected building was carelessly stacked with textile materials.

    Although the cause of the outbreak could not been ascertained at the time of filing this report, The Nation learnt that electrical surge or the storing of petrol inside the shops were likely causes.

    Confirming the incident both the Director Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe and National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) southwest spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye said there was no casualty.

    Fadipe said five fire trucks were deployed to contain the outbreak, adding that firemen got to the scene at about 10:30am.

    Farinloye said the number of shops affected could not be ascertained as investigations into the cause of fire and extend of damage has not commenced.

    He stated that rescue workers were still on ground to prevent the fire from reigniting

  • ‘Lagos market key to West Africa’

    ‘Lagos market key to West Africa’

    Lagos House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has said the Lagos market remains the take off point for any producer seeking to serve consumers across West Africa.

    According to him,  the economy of the state is the fifth largest in Africa and second only to the rest of Nigeria in the whole of the sub-region. He commended companies that choose Lagos as their operational base for making the right investment decision.

    Ikuforiji spoke while receiving officials of nutritional products firm, Nutricima Limited, who paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the formal launch of Olympic Milk brand’s new identity and product range.

    Ikuforiji would be guest of honour at the October 15 event at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Its Managing Director, Suneel Vasudevan, who led the team to the Speaker, said the company was established to meet the needs for high quality nutritional products in Nigeria as established by research findings.

    Receiving the team, Ikuforiji said the decision of the company and its principal shareholder PZ Cussons to invest in manufacturing in Ikorodu, a suburb of the city, was a wise one as the market is key to unlocking the sub-regional market.

    According to him, the state  hosts  all the major demographic groups across the sub-region.

    “It gladdens my heart to see that after all the years despite Nigeria’s peculiar challenges, you are not only still here, but giving birth to other companies.  They say when the going gets tough, the tough gets going, Nutricima and PZ have shown by their longevity of operations in Nigeria that they are committed to contributing to the economic development of the country and Lagos in particular being the fifth largest economy on the continent,” he said.

    Vasudevan said the rebranded Olympic Milk is a healthy choice milk product for all age groups and the new variants from milk will be unveiled tomorrow.

    He said with the launch of the new product, Nutricima will be restaging its brand as a major player in the food and beverage sector of the Nigerian economy, thus giving Nigerians a unique healthy and nutritious choice that resonates vitality.

    Nutricma is owned by Milk Ventures (U.K.) Limited, a 50:50 joint venture between PZ Cussons, Manchester and Glanbia food ingredients in Ireland. It runs a modern manufacturing facility in Ikorodu, Lagos for its productions. They include three milk brands, Nunu, Coast and Olympic, as well as other nutritious products.

  • Fire razes 120 shops in Lagos market

    Fire razes 120 shops in Lagos market

    It was a bad Sunday for traders at the popular Daleko Market in Isolo, a Lagos surburb, yesterday. An early morning fire razed over 120 shops and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

    Many others shops were partially torched. The inferno was said to have been sparked by an electrical surge.

    No casualty was recorded as men of the Lagos State Fire Service arrived promptly for rescue operations.

    When The Nation visited the market, fire fighters and other emergency rescue agencies had cordoned off the affected areas. Traders were seen moving the charred remains of their wares to neighbouring streets, causing gridlock on the road.

    Those who could not rescue their goods stood speechless. Many others bemoaned their losses in the midst of sympathisers.

    The market’s Assistant Leader, Alhaja Sidikatu Amori, who claimed the fire was caused by high electrical voltage, said goods worth over N100 million were destroyed.

    “Just last week, two truck-loads of rice were brought in here. We sell yam, palm-oil, rice and vegetable oil, among others in large quantities. Most of these items were gone in the fire. We lost over N100 million goods to the fire. But we must thank men of the state fire service for responding to our distress call in good time. But for them, we wouldn’t have salvaged anything.”

    The Director, Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, who said his men were not overwhelmed, confirmed that about 120 shops were destroyed.

    He said: “We are battling with the outbreak and 120 open shops, selling palm oil and vegetable oil, were consumed by the fire. Fire fighting operation is still on, but we are fully in control. We responded with three fire trucks of 1000 litres of water each from Isolo, Ilupeju and Ikeja. The incident was caused by power surge. There is need for total overhauling of electrical wiring system in Lagos markets.”

  • Midnight fire razes Lagos market

    Midnight fire razes Lagos market

    Traders at the popular Iponri Shopping Complex in the Surulere area of Lagos State had gone home after Tuesday’s sales in anticipation of another prosperous market day.

    However, they had barely gone to bed when they were jolted with a shocker: The goods they left in their shops were up in flames.

    Seventeen shops filled with goods were consumed by the fire, which reportedly started around 11.18pm, destroying goods worth millions of naira before officials of the Lagos State Fire Service (LSFS) arrived to put it out.

    The LSFS’ Director, Mr Rasak Fadipe, who said the tragedy was caused by an electrical surge, added that the losses could have been more but for the intervention his men. “We battled the inferno when it was still raging. Officers at the Sari-Iganmu Fire Service Station were quickly mobilised and they came with their service tanker containing 10,000 litres of water to quell the raging inferno,” he said.

    He said the intensity of the fire prompted him to mobilise more men from Ilupeju and Onikan service stations, who promptly came with 10,000 litres of water each, for the rescue efforts.

    Most of the items burnt in the affected shops, he added, included power-generating sets, different types of textile materials and plastic materials, among others.

    Fadipe noted that some of the electric cables in the market were ruptured, adding that he had warned the traders to get a good technician to adjust them.

    The General Manager, Lagos State Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said no life was lost in the incident.

    It was a moving tale of agonies when The Nation visited the scene yesterday. Most of the victims were too embittered to talk on the incident. Shell-shocked, many simply beheld the charred remains of their wares in hopelessness.

    A trader, who was identified as Mama Sikira, living a stone’s throw to the market, said: “I heard people shouting fire …fire … and running towards the market in utter confusion. And because of various interventions, the fire was put out around 9am this morning (yesterday).

    Mrs Mary Ulo, a victim, said sobbing: “I sell foreign household/gift items; I just took delivery of some goods as did many other traders in this complex. Now, everything is gone. Over 17 shops were damaged, while stationery items, kitchen utensils, fabrics worth millions of naira went with this disaster.”

    The Iyaloja General of the state, Chief (Mrs) Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, was visibly moved by the victims’ ill-fate. She said she would ensure that a good policy insurance is put in place and also talk to the government to look into the situation. “Only God knows how it happened; so, no human should be held responsible. This shouldn’t restrict daily activities in the market,” she added.

  • Fire guts Lagos market

    Fire guts Lagos market

    Some stalls at the Irepodun Market in Ikotun in Alimosho Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, were destroyed on Wednesday night. The fire gutted a block of 10 shops.

    Traders said the fire would have razed the market but for the timely intervention of some of them who prevented it from spreading. The fire, they said was caused by an electrical fault.

    When The Nation visited the market yesterday, traders whose stalls were not affected were doing business. The victims gathered to bemoan their losses.

    Most officials of the market were hostile to reporters as they refused to give out information on the cause of the fire and the extent of destruction.

    At the market’s office, a man said to be its chairman, shouted at the reporter: “Go back to those who sent you; there is no problem in our market. We are able to take care of our problems as we have been doing; go back, we don’t want the press now. We are alright.”

    A market official seen supervising the speedy clearing of the debris, also shouted, asking: “Why didn’t the government give you money to give us as they sent you? Go and tell them that Ikotun traders need money not newspaper publications.”

    The reporter’s advice that the governor would not know what happened if not reported was ignored. A trader who simply gave his name as Ganiyu said they did not want government’s trouble, adding: “About 10 shops were affected and we cannot know for sure the cost of what was damaged now.”

    Another trader, who simply identified himself as Ndubisi, said his destroyed goods were worth over N500,000.

    An official of the council told The Nation that “the fire was a minor issue.” He said the traders might be afraid that speaking to the press could put them in trouble with government.

    Some victims estimated their losses at about N10 million.