Prosper Okoye
The Anambra State Government has sealed dozens of shops at two major markets in Idemili North council area after traders failed to open for business on Monday, despite a directive to resume trading.
The affected markets are the Building Materials Market in Ogidi and the Electrical Parts Dealers Market in Obosi, both in south-eastern Nigeria.
State officials, led by the governor’s special adviser on markets, Evarist Uba, visited the two markets during a routine inspection and ordered shops that remained closed to be shut for two weeks.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelMr Uba said the action was meant to restore economic activity and enforce the policy of Chukwuma Soludo, who has instructed markets across the state to open on Mondays following months of partial shutdowns.
He said there was high compliance at the Electrical Parts Dealers Market in Obosi, which he described as a key trading hub in the South-East.
“About 80% of the shops were open. That shows traders are beginning to have confidence in the government’s efforts to restore peace and revive the economy,” he said.
At the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, however, many shops were still locked, prompting officials to enforce the closure order.
Mr Uba said the sealed shops would remain shut for two weeks and would only be reopened after their owners showed commitment to opening on Mondays.
Market leaders welcomed the government’s intervention, saying improved security had made it easier for traders to return to work.
The chairman of the Electrical Parts Dealers Association in Obosi, Chike Onunkwo, and the president of the International Building Materials Market in Ogidi, Jude Nwankwo, said traders were ready to support the state’s push to revive business and stabilise the local economy.
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The enforcement comes weeks after the Anambra State Government shut the Onitsha Main Market for one week following continued compliance with the Monday sit-at-home. The shutdown followed an earlier directive by the separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ordering an end to the protests, which had been observed across much of south-east Nigeria for months.
Despite that announcement, many traders in Anambra have continued to keep their shops closed on Mondays, citing lingering security fears and uncertainty over enforcement.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
