United Capital Plc has confirmed the death of six of its employees in the fire incident that occurred at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island.
The investment banking group made the announcement in a statement on Thursday, following the blaze which broke out on Tuesday.
The confirmation came a day after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) disclosed that four of its staff also died in the incident.
United Capital, which occupies the third and fourth floors of the six-storey commercial property, said, “It is with profound grief that the Management and Staff of United Capital Plc announce the passing of six of our dear colleagues, following the tragic fire at Afriland Towers on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. We extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, and we continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers, as well as providing all the support we can.”
The company added that arrangements were underway for a memorial service in honour of the deceased.
The FIRS, which occupied the sixth and seventh floors of the building where its Medium Tax Audit and Onikan Emerging Tax Office were located, also confirmed its loss in a statement, describing the deaths as a tragic development.
Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, also mourned the victims.
In a message to staff, he said, “I am shattered by yesterday’s incident at Afriland Towers that took the lives of our dear colleagues. No words can capture the magnitude of this loss, not for their families who loved them, not for the friends who valued them, and not for those of us who worked beside them. Yesterday was a stark reminder of what truly matters: our irreplaceable people.”
Mr Elumelu cut short his trip to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly to return to Lagos and directed that a minute of silence be observed across all Heirs Holdings companies.
Afriland Properties Plc, which manages the building, said the fire started in the inverter room before smoke spread quickly through several floors, including emergency exits, during evacuation.
“From the moment the incident was reported, the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency services were promptly alerted and on the scene to contain the fire and coordinate rescue efforts. Their swift intervention was instrumental in mitigating further damage and managing the situation,” said Chukwunonso Okafor, head of marketing and corporate communications at Afriland Properties.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) reported that the emergency call was received at 1:38 p.m.
Deputy controller general Ogabi Olajide said firefighting teams from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu stations were deployed.
Nine people were rescued, five were successfully resuscitated, while efforts were ongoing to revive four others.
Eyewitnesses said smoke quickly filled offices, forcing workers and visitors to smash windows and scramble for safety.
Afriland Properties said it was working with authorities as investigations continue.
Afriland Towers, located in Lagos Island’s central business district, houses several offices, including those of United Capital, FIRS, UBA and Afriland Properties.
Both Afriland Properties and United Capital are subsidiaries of Heirs Holdings.
