Markets and businesses across Anambra State continue to struggle despite Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s push to end the Monday sit-at-home and encourage traders to reopen.
While some traders have returned to their shops, customer turnout remains low, leaving key commercial hubs largely inactive at the start of the week.
A Monday visit to Onitsha revealed a subdued commercial scene: many roadside shops, artisans, and private businesses remained closed, signaling lingering fear and uncertainty among traders. Shops along major arteries including Oguta Road, Awka Road, Old and New Cemetery roads, and New Market Road were mostly shuttered, with banks along these routes operating at minimal capacity.
Traders expressed frustration at rising operational costs. Sir Amechi Ukoro, a shop owner on Old Market Road, said:
“The situation is like a wound and it will take time to heal. Traders feel abandoned by both federal and state authorities.”
Transport costs have surged, compounding the challenges. Journeys that previously cost ₦200 now range from ₦500 to ₦1,000, while trips from Onitsha Main Market to Nkpor Junction reach ₦1,000 by bus and ₦1,500 by tricycle. Trader Okechukwu Okafor described daily transport expenses of ₦1,600–₦2,000 as unsustainable in light of minimal sales.
Petrol station pricing practices were also blamed for driving fare hikes. At Ogbaru Main Market, traders called on the government to ensure banks operate on Mondays to facilitate business transactions. Observations along Upper New Market Road near Emeka Offor Shopping Plaza showed only two out of more than ten banks partially open, leaving customers uncertain.
At Ochanja Central Market, trading activity was almost non-existent, with just two shops open among a row of 40, highlighting traders’ ongoing fear for personal safety and the challenges in fully reviving the state’s commercial heartbeat.
