IN SHORT: A video of a building on fire in Lagos, Nigeria is circulating on social media with a claim that it is the UBA House, the headquarters of the United Bank of Africa. But the claim is false.
“UBA House Marina, Lagos on fire. Workers in the building have been scampering for safety,” reads the caption of a video of a burning building, circulating on Facebook in Nigeria.
The UBA House is the headquarters of the United Bank of Africa, one of Nigeria’s leading banks. The 20-storey white marble building is one of the most recognisable buildings on the Lagos Island skyline.
The video was shared in several Facebook posts with similar claims, including some that said the video showed UBA's headquarters on fire.
The claim also appears here, here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But was it the UBA House that was razed? We checked.
Afriland Towers, not UBA House, in flames
The first evidence that the claim is not to be believed is that the building in the video is significantly different in appearance from the UBA House.
The building on fire is a dark-coloured seven-storey building, with the name Afriland Towers showing in some of the videos in circulation.
Afriland Towers is on Broad Street, Lagos Island, a block from Marina Road. One side of the building has the UBA logo because the building houses a UBA branch. The Afriland Towers houses other organisations, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
According to media reports, at least 10 people died in the fire at Afriland Towers on 16 September 2025.
The UBA debunked the claim that its headquarters was on fire.
The claim that the fire was at UBA House is false.
The same claim was found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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