The Anambra State Government has confirmed that the Onitsha Main Market will reopen on Monday, allowing traders to resume full commercial and economic activities across the market.
The announcement comes after a one-week shutdown ordered by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, following widespread non-compliance with the state’s directive against observing the Monday sit-at-home order.
Governor Soludo issued the closure order last Monday during an inspection visit to the market. He was accompanied by senior government officials and security operatives, as authorities moved to enforce the directive.
At the time, the governor warned that the closure could be prolonged if traders continued to disregard government instructions. Security agencies were also deployed to seal the market throughout the period of the shutdown.
However, the state government has now declared the end of the closure. In a statement released on Sunday, the Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, confirmed that the one-week period had officially elapsed and instructed traders to return to business on Monday.
Mefor reassured traders and residents that adequate security measures are in place to guarantee safety across the state. He advised the public to ignore threats from non-state actors and urged residents to promptly report any security-related issues through the emergency hotline, 5111.
The commissioner also reminded civil servants and teachers that the state’s pro-rata salary policy remains effective, emphasizing that absence from work on Mondays would attract salary deductions under the “no work, no pay” rule.
In addition, parents were cautioned to ensure their children attend school on Mondays, warning that failure to do so could result in sanctions.
Part of the statement read that the closure of the Onitsha Main Market, approved by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, would expire over the weekend, paving the way for the resumption of normal trading activities.
It further stated that traders are expected to reopen their shops on Monday, February 2, 2026, stressing that there is no longer any form of sit-at-home observed on Mondays in Anambra State.
Residents were once again assured of maximum security, while government workers, teachers, and parents were reminded of their responsibilities under existing state policies.
