Abuja, February 15, 2026 — In a swift show of federal solidarity, Kashim Shettima is set to lead a high-powered delegation to Kano following the devastating inferno that ravaged the famed Singer Market, leaving traders counting losses running into billions of naira.
Acting on the directive of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President will depart Abuja tomorrow to personally convey the President’s condolences and reassurance to the victims of what has become the second fire disaster at the market within two weeks.
The weekend blaze, which erupted Saturday evening and raged into Sunday morning, tore through large sections of Singer Market — reputed as Nigeria’s largest food market — destroying shops, foodstuffs and livelihoods in a matter of hours. The incident has deepened anxiety among traders already grappling with economic pressures.
President Tinubu, who spoke by telephone with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf shortly after the incident, expressed deep concern over the scale of destruction and the recurring nature of the fires.
The President described the situation as alarming, especially coming less than a fortnight after a previous outbreak consumed dozens of shops in the same market.
He has consequently ordered a comprehensive investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the repeated incidents.
“The Federal Government stands with the people of Kano in this difficult time,” the President was quoted as saying, assuring that victims would not be left to shoulder the burden alone.
The delegation to Kano underscores the gravity attached to the disaster. It includes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; Senator Kawu Ismaila; and Rep. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation.
Also on the team are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, signaling an immediate humanitarian and recovery response.
Beyond expressing sympathy, the delegation is expected to pledge financial assistance on behalf of the Federal Government to cushion the losses and fast-track the reopening of the market.
Federal authorities will also work with the Kano State Government to strengthen fire prevention mechanisms and restore traders’ confidence.
For thousands of traders whose goods were reduced to ashes, the visit is expected to offer both moral support and a pathway to recovery.
As investigations commence into the recurrent fires, stakeholders say the focus must now shift to lasting safety measures to prevent Singer Market from becoming a tragic cycle of loss.
With Kano’s commercial heartbeat shaken but not silenced, all eyes are on the federal delegation as it arrives with promises of relief — and a firm resolve to end the fire disasters once and for all.
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