Expert Advocates Fire Prevention Integration In West Africa’s Electrical Infrastructure

The offer manager for Power Products at Schneider Electric West Africa, Opeyemi Olaniyan has advocated for stronger fire prevention measures to be integrated into the region’s electrical infrastructure to enhance safety and reliability as industrialisation and urbanisation accelerate across West Africa.

According to Olaniyan, fire safety should be embedded in the design of electrical systems rather than treated as a compliance requirement. He said that the growing scale and complexity of electrical infrastructure have increased the risk of electrical fires, making proactive safety measures essential.

“One cannot afford to get it wrong. The loss can be catastrophic, not only in terms of asset loss and operational disruption, but also reputational damage, rising insurance premiums and, most critically, the risk to human life,” Olaniyan said.

He noted that Lagos, home to one of Africa’s fastest-growing skylines, faces significant fire risks, with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service recording hundreds of fire outbreaks annually, many involving commercial and multi-storey buildings.

Olaniyan stressed that West Africa’s infrastructure must be designed to withstand future risks, adding that traditional fire protection methods focused on isolated components and reactive responses are no longer sufficient.

He advocated the adoption of integrated and intelligent electrical systems that incorporate fire mitigation measures into both low-voltage and medium-voltage distribution networks.

According to him, modern electrical systems should feature integrated protection mechanisms combining enclosures, devices and monitoring systems, as well as real-time temperature and humidity monitoring, early fault detection and proactive fire prevention capabilities.

“The key is to integrate synchronised protection mechanisms across the distribution network, from medium voltage down to final distribution, creating a more responsive, safer and resilient system,” he said.

Olaniyan also highlighted the importance of developing technical expertise to improve fire safety outcomes, noting that the increasing sophistication of electrical systems requires skilled professionals capable of designing, installing and maintaining them.

He said this responsibility extends beyond engineering teams to contractors, system integrators and channel partners involved in implementation.

According to him, building an ecosystem of expertise requires sustained investment in training and knowledge transfer programmes.

Olaniyan said Schneider Electric has prioritised training for its internal teams and channel partners to improve understanding of product integration and fire safety best practices.

He added that the company has introduced initiatives aimed at strengthening knowledge of digital and electrical architectures across its partner network.

He observed that awareness of fire safety is increasing following recent incidents across commercial and industrial facilities in the region, including the 2024 Afriland Tower fire in Lagos, which claimed seven lives.

According to him, such incidents have underscored the need for proactive electrical system design and continuous monitoring, leading to greater adoption of preventive technologies.

Olaniyan expressed optimism that investments in fire mitigation solutions and advanced electrical architectures would increase as organisations place greater emphasis on resilience and business continuity.