Occupants’ perception of fire safety management in shopping malls in Lagos, Nigeria

Introduction Fire safety management is a critical component of occupant protection in high-occupancy commercial buildings such as shopping malls, yet occupant-level perception of fire safety management, as distinct from technical compliance, remains understudied in the Nigerian context. This study addresses that gap by examining occupants’ perceptions of fire safety management in four selected shopping malls in Lagos, Nigeria, focusing on awareness of evacuation procedures, evaluation of evacuation infrastructure, preparedness, and perceptions of management commitment. Methods Using a multi-stage sampling technique with simple random selection of respondents, a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 178 occupants, including shoppers, retail employees, management staff, security personnel, and maintenance workers. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results Findings reveal a consistent pattern across all four dimensions: occupants rated visible, passively encountered safety features, such as emergency lighting, signage, and assembly point location, more favorably than features requiring active management effort or training, such as exit clearance enforcement, fire drills, and formal safety training. Discussion These findings suggest that improving occupant perceived fire safety in Lagos malls depends less on additional infrastructure and more on consistent enforcement, regular drills, and targeted training. The study contributes new occupant level evidence to Nigerian fire safety research, which has previously focused predominantly on technical compliance and infrastructure availability.