Goods estimated at about N300m were lost on Sunday as fire razed a section of the Oja-Tuntun Market, Baboko, Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State.
It was gathered that huge cash left in some of the shops were burnt to ashes.
It was learnt that no person died or was injured during the disaster.
Though the cause of the fire had yet to be established, some night guards at the market told reporters that they suddenly noticed smoke billowing from one of the affected shops.
They added that before they could get help, some sections of the market had been engulfed by the inferno.
One of the victims, Hajia Ramdalat Alasi, said she lost goods worth over N7m, while she estimated the total goods burnt in the Cosmetics and Provision section of the market at N300m. She said the fire, which raged for hours, started at about 12am, when people had left the market.
Meanwhile, a midnight fire consumed a petroleum jelly firm, Bowlis Industries Nigeria Limited, in the Rafin-Pa area of the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, destroying goods worth about N80m.
Bowlis are the manufacturers of Vowles and Realine Pomade and perfumes.
Reports gathered indicated that the fire started at about 11pm when power was restored to the area.
The General Manager of the company, Malam Abubakar Muhammad, said workers had closed from work.
He added that he was later alerted by some of their neighbours that fire had engulfed the factory.
The fire, which engulfed the warehouse, reportedly spread to the production, packaging and storage sections.
The GM said, “We lost raw materials worth N 58.6m, and finished products worth N10,7m. Our Siemena mixer machines, as well as fire extinguishers worth N 4.4m were also lost. Other things were destroyed as well, but we are still computing the value. For now, we have calculated our loss to over N80m.”