Assessment of Fire Safety Provisions in Multi-Storey Commercial Buildings in Abuja Central Business District

Fire safety in multi-storey commercial buildings is a critical life safety concern in Nigerian urban centres, and the adequacy of fire protection provisions in Abuja's Central Business District buildings merits systematic evaluation given the concentration of high-value assets and daily occupants in the zone. This study assesses the fire safety provisions of twenty multi-storey commercial buildings in the Abuja CBD, applying a structured fire safety audit instrument based on Nigerian Building Code requirements and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code principles. The audit covered fire detection and alarm system provision and operational status, fire suppression systems, emergency exit provision and width, travel distance to exits, fire door installation and condition, emergency lighting, firefighting equipment condition, and evidence of fire safety training for building managers. Results show significant deficiencies across multiple dimensions. Fire detection and alarm systems were present in seventeen buildings but functionally tested and certified in only eight. Automatic sprinkler systems were absent in sixty percent of the assessed buildings. Emergency exit signage was absent or illegible in forty percent of buildings. Fire door self-closer mechanisms were non-functional in sixty-five percent of assessed fire door installations. None of the twenty buildings could demonstrate a current fire emergency evacuation plan or evidence of staff fire safety training within the past year. The study identifies weak enforcement of the Nigerian Building Code provisions by the FCT Development Control Department as the systemic root cause and recommends a mandatory annual fire safety certification regime. Keywords: fire safety, multi-storey commercial buildings, Abuja CBD, Nigerian Building Code, life safety.