Commercial and marketing activities across Anambra State remain subdued despite Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive compelling traders to resume business on Mondays and end compliance with the sit-at-home order.
Although many traders have indicated readiness to return to their stalls, customer turnout remains low, leaving markets and adjoining commercial areas struggling to regain full momentum.
A visit to major business districts in Onitsha on Monday revealed that several markets recorded partial reopening, while many roadside shops and artisan outlets remained under lock and key. Areas including Oguta Road, Awka Road, New and Old Cemetery Roads, Old Market Road and New Market Road—major arteries linking to Onitsha Main Market—witnessed limited activity.
Shops dealing in interior decoration materials along New Market Road, between the NNPC filling station and commercial banks such as Zenith Bank and UBA, were largely closed. Shopping plazas known for phone accessories also showed minimal operations, with only a few banks partially open, creating uncertainty for customers.
Traders attribute the slow recovery to multiple challenges, including dwindling customer confidence, high transportation costs, and what they describe as inadequate government response to the underlying issues that sparked the sit-at-home in the first place.
A shop owner on Old Market Road, Amechi Ukoro, said business operators feel “wounded” by what they perceive as federal and state government inaction.
“The situation is like a wound that will take time to heal,” he said, adding that meaningful resolution of the grievances behind the sit-at-home would be key to restoring normalcy.
Transportation costs have emerged as a major concern for traders attempting to resume operations. Several complained that commercial bus and tricycle operators have significantly increased fares, making it difficult to break even in the face of low patronage.
Okechukwu Okafor, a trader, noted that routes which previously cost between N200 and N300 now range from N500 to N1,000 for buses and up to N1,500 for tricycles.
“Spending between N1,600 and N2,000 daily on transport without guaranteed sales is not sustainable,” he said, urging the state government to regulate fares to encourage full compliance with the directive.
Some traders also called on the government to compel banks to operate fully on Mondays, arguing that limited banking services further discourage commercial activity.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Government has intensified enforcement measures. The New Auto Spare Parts Association (NASPA) Market at Nkwo Nnewi has been shut down for one week over alleged non-compliance with the governor’s order.
According to the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, the market was closed effective midnight Monday, February 23, 2026, and is expected to reopen on March 2, 2026. The directive was conveyed through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Markets, Chief Evarist Uba.
Authorities warned that further sanctions could follow if compliance remains low upon reopening.
While the state government insists that normal activities have resumed in most markets following the late January directive, Monday’s developments suggest that economic recovery in Anambra’s commercial hubs may require more than enforcement to fully restore confidence and participation.
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