The Oyo State Government has handed over 88 reconstructed shops to traders affected by the March 2026 fire outbreak at Alesinloye Market, Ibadan, at no cost to the beneficiaries.

The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 11, with the government saying the intervention was part of its commitment to restoring the livelihoods of traders who lost their shops and goods in the inferno.

The Executive Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Akande, who represented Governor Seyi Makinde at the ceremony, said the exercise fulfilled the governor's promise to rebuild the affected section of the market and return the shops to their original owners free of charge.

Akande recalled that the governor had visited the market shortly after the incident and assured the victims that the government would reconstruct the destroyed shops.

He said the rebuilt section had been redesigned to provide a safer, more organised and accessible trading environment, including improved access roads.

The council chairman also disclosed that measures had been introduced to prevent a recurrence of the fire outbreak. These include the reconstruction of the market's fire station and the permanent deployment of safety officers by the local government to monitor compliance with safety regulations.

Akande further revealed that the state government had earlier provided N250,000 to each affected trader as immediate financial relief.

According to him, the payment was approved by Governor Makinde following his visit to the market after the incident.

Also speaking, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, described the handover as the fulfilment of the governor's promise and urged the beneficiaries to maintain the reconstructed facilities.

He explained that the 88 shops represented the exact number of affected traders captured in the verified list compiled after the fire outbreak.

Speaking on behalf of the traders, Alhaja Taiwo Sekinat Bisola, who represented the Babaloja of Alesinloye Market, commended the state government for the intervention.

She said the reconstruction would enable the affected traders to resume their businesses, while urging them to maintain the facilities and observe safety regulations to prevent future incidents.

The fire outbreak occurred in the early hours of March 11, 2026, in the plastic and rubber section of Alesinloye Market, destroying several shops and goods worth millions of naira.