Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has directed the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, calling the decision “hard but necessary” to revive what he described as a once-thriving commercial hub now “literally dead.”
Speaking to traders and stakeholders at the Light House in Awka on Friday, January 30, 2026, Soludo blamed the market’s decline on decades of poor urban planning and the persistent Monday sit-at-home order enforced by IPOB since 2021.
“The Onitsha Main Market is no longer functional. We have done the study it has literally died,” Soludo stated.
He contrasted its current chaotic state with the late 1970s, when wide streets allowed trucks to drive in and ample parking existed.
He highlighted that the sit-at-home has shut the market for over 260 Mondays, costing billions in weekly revenue and driving customers to markets in neighbouring states.
Soludo said a comprehensive remodelling plan, designed by world-renowned experts since 2023, targets the 25-hectare site to create a modern, efficient, planned market aligned with his manifesto for sustainable cities and communities.
“Leadership requires inconvenient steps to secure the future. This corrective measure is to reclaim Anambra’s economic life,” he added.
The governor had ordered a one-week closure of the market earlier this month after traders continued observing the Monday sit-at-home, with security agencies sealing the facility to enforce compliance.
He warned of possible extensions if non-compliance persists.Responding on behalf of traders, Onitsha Main Market Chairman Chijioke Okpalaugo announced that the leadership and traders have accepted “Option 2” of the government’s revitalisation proposals.
“We recognise that leadership requires difficult choices and accept this path for the ultimate good of ndị Anambra and the survival of our iconic market,” Okpalaugo said.
He appealed for a short grace period to allow traders to safely evacuate goods from areas marked as illegal structures before enforcement and demolition begin.
The directive intensifies the standoff between the state government and groups enforcing the Monday sit-at-home, with Soludo framing the remodelling as essential to restoring economic vitality in Anambra and the South-East.
SOURCE: NigerianEye
