- Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the immediate remodelling of Onitsha Main Market after a one-week closure, which he described as necessary to revive the economy
- He said prolonged sit-at-home compliance and poor urban planning had rendered the once-thriving market essentially non-functional
- Market leaders agreed to the redevelopment plan, appealing for a brief grace period to evacuate goods before enforcement began
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the decision as a “hard, but necessary” step to secure the future of the state’s economy.
The directive followed the one-week market closure, which the governor said had become inevitable after years of decline, worsened by persistent sit-at-home compliance and poor urban planning. Soludo made the remarks on Friday while addressing market leaders, traders, and other stakeholders at the Light House in Awka.
During his address, the governor lamented the deterioration of the Onitsha Main Market, once celebrated as the largest market in West Africa, stating that it has fallen into a shadow of its former self.
“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,” Soludo said.
Recalling the market’s past, the governor noted that in the late 1970s it was a model of efficiency, with wide streets, efficient logistics, and ample parking that allowed trucks and shoppers to move freely. He contrasted this with the present situation, which he described as chaotic and inaccessible.
“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 added.
Soludo identified the prolonged enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home order as a major contributor to the market’s collapse. According to him, the market has been effectively shut for more than 260 days since the practice began, resulting in the loss of billions of naira each week and pushing 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 governor said.
He revealed that the state government had commissioned world-renowned experts in 2023 to develop a comprehensive rebuilding plan for the 25-hectare market site, noting that modern commerce now depends on efficient logistics rather than congested clusters of small stalls.
The remodelling, Soludo explained, aligns with his administration’s manifesto to develop planned, sustainable markets, communities and cities across Anambra State.
Following the governor’s announcement, the Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, confirmed that traders had agreed to the government’s redevelopment proposal. He disclosed that market leaders and traders had opted for “Option 2” among the redevelopment plans presented by the state government.
“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,” Okpalaugo said.
However, he appealed to the governor to grant traders a brief grace period to evacuate their goods from areas designated as illegal structures before enforcement and demolition begin.
It would be recalled that Governor Soludo ordered the one-week closure of the market on Monday after traders allegedly failed to comply with the state’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order. He warned that the closure could be extended if compliance remains poor, adding that security agencies have been deployed to seal the market.
Soludo described the action as part of a broader effort to reclaim economic activity in the South-East, stressing that despite improved security measures and repeated appeals, many traders had continued to shut their shops on Mondays.