Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has directed the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the decision as a difficult but unavoidable step following the market’s recent one-week closure.
The directive came after the governor inspected the market and observed what he described as a severe decline in its structure and functionality. Once celebrated as one of the largest markets in West Africa, Soludo said the commercial centre had fallen into disrepair and was no longer serving its intended purpose.
Speaking to traders and stakeholders at the Light House in Awka on Friday, January 30, the governor attributed the market’s deterioration to years of poor urban planning, congestion, and the sustained economic impact of the Monday sit-at-home order.
According to him, the market’s original design in the late 1970s allowed for efficient movement, with wide access roads, parking spaces, and direct entry for trucks—features that have since been lost to disorder and unregulated structures. He stressed that modern commerce depends on efficient logistics, noting that the lack of parking and access has driven customers to alternative markets in neighbouring states.
Soludo revealed that the sit-at-home practice had effectively kept the market closed for over 260 days, leading to weekly losses amounting to billions of naira and weakening Anambra’s economic base. He described the recent closure as a corrective measure aimed at restoring economic vitality to the state.
The governor further disclosed that the state government, in 2023, engaged internationally recognised experts to develop a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the 25-hectare market area, in line with his administration’s commitment to building planned, sustainable cities and markets.
Reacting to the announcement, Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, said traders support the government’s vision and have agreed on “Option 2” of the proposed redevelopment plan. He noted that while traders accept the decision in the interest of the market’s long-term survival, they have appealed to the governor for a brief grace period to allow for the safe relocation of goods from areas marked as illegal structures before enforcement and demolition begin.
It will be recalled that Governor Soludo had earlier ordered the temporary closure of the market after traders failed to comply with the state’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order. He warned that the shutdown could be extended if compliance does not improve, adding that security agencies have sealed the market as part of broader efforts to revive economic activities in the South-East.
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