Lamentations of displaced Onitsha Main Market traders (opens original article in a new tab)

Anambra State Government demolished shops at Onitsha Main Market, displacing traders and causing economic hardship, with no reconstruction efforts and some areas turned into car parks and dump sites.

• Anambra State Government demolished shops at Onitsha Main Market on March 1, 2026, claiming they were illegal.
• Over 10,000 shops were destroyed, displacing traders who now face economic hardship and lack of replacement structures.
• Some demolished areas have been converted into car parks and refuse dump sites, with no reconstruction efforts underway.