Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the move as a “hard, but necessary” step to secure the future of the commercial hub.
The directive follows the market’s one-week closure.
During his last visit to the market, Soludo lamented that the once-famed “biggest market in West Africa” had deteriorated significantly, calling it “literally dead.”
Addressing traders and stakeholders at the Light House, Awka, on Friday, the governor explained that the decline was exacerbated by decades of poor urban planning and the persistent observance of the Monday sit-at-home order.
Soludo said, “The Onitsha Main Market, in its current state, is no longer functional. We have done the study. The main market is no longer what it was designed to be. It has literally died.
“I recall a time in the late 70s when the market was a model of efficiency, with wide streets allowing trucks and shoppers to move freely. Today, that layout has been replaced by chaos. If people cannot park, they cannot shop. In the late 70s, trucks used to drive into the market; massive parking spaces were provided for them. Today, that is gone.”
He noted that the market had been effectively shut for more than 260 days since the Monday sit-at-home ritual began, resulting in billions of naira lost weekly and driving customers to alternative markets in neighbouring states.
“Leadership requires taking inconvenient steps to secure the future. The closure of the market is a corrective measure to reclaim the state’s economic life. The state commissioned world-renowned experts in 2023 to draft a rebuilding plan for the market’s resurrection; a vision for the 25-hectare site.”
“This is in recognition that the future of global commerce lies in efficient logistics rather than just tiny stalls,” Soludo added.
He further said, “Therefore, the remodelling efforts align with my manifesto to create planned and sustainable markets and communities and cities. At this point, leadership beckons on us to take those inconvenient steps to secure the future.”
Following the executive directive, the Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, confirmed the traders’ support for the government’s vision, while requesting a short period to secure their inventory.
Okpalaugo said, “After careful consideration of the proposals presented by the state government for the revitalisation of our market, we, the leadership and traders of Onitsha Main Market, officially announce that we have chosen ‘Option 2’ as the preferred path forward.
“We recognise that leadership requires difficult choices, and we accept this path for the ultimate good of ndị Anambra and the survival of our iconic market. We are committed to the vision of a planned, sustainable, and accessible market that can once again compete on a global stage.
“However, we humbly appeal to Governor Soludo to grant us a short grace period. This will allow our members to safely evacuate their goods and wares from the areas designated as illegal structures before the commencement of enforcement and demolition.”
DAILY GAZETTE earlier reported that the closure followed the traders’ refusal to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.
Soludo had warned that the shutdown could be extended if compliance was not achieved, and security agencies had sealed the market to enforce the order.
The governor described the redevelopment as a decisive step in an ongoing effort to reclaim economic life in the South-East, noting that despite assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reopen stalls, many traders had continued to keep their businesses closed.
