Fire Safety Performance in Four-Star Hotels: A Five-Pillar Design Framework for Sustainable Hospitality Facilities in Uyo, Nigeria

Fire safety is a critical component of sustainable hotel design and operation because fire incidents threaten human life, property, business continuity, and the long-term resilience of the hospitality industry. Although Nigeria has established the National Fire Safety Code and the National Building Code, empirical evidence on the fire safety performance and regulatory compliance of hotels remains limited, particularly in rapidly developing urban centres. This study evaluated the fire safety performance of four-star hotels in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and developed a context-specific Five-Pillar Design Framework to enhance sustainable fire safety management. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, incorporating structured questionnaires administered to Maintenance and Safety Officers, field observations, compliance audits, architectural case studies, and key informant interviews. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to assess fire safety performance and prioritise critical interventions. The findings revealed that overloaded electrical systems, commercial kitchen operations, combustible materials, and inadequate maintenance practices constituted the major fire risk factors. While the assessed hotels demonstrated moderate compliance with national fire safety regulations, significant deficiencies were identified in automatic fire detection systems, passive fire protection measures, emergency evacuation facilities, and routine maintenance practices. In response, a Five-Pillar Design Framework comprising fire prevention, early detection and communication, fire containment, safe escape, and fire extinguishment was developed to improve fire safety performance across the building life cycle. The framework provides an integrated, performance-based approach that enhances occupant safety, strengthens regulatory compliance, improves building resilience, supports business continuity, and advances sustainable hospitality development in Nigeria and other developing economies.