KEY POINTS
- Monday sit-at-home ban boosts trade across three states.
- Patronage remains below pre-2021 levels.
- Security presence seen as key to full recovery.
Commercial activity is gradually returning across parts of Nigeria’s South-East after state governments moved to end the Monday sit-at-home directive, with traders and transporters in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu reporting cautious gains.
A News Agency of Nigeria survey found markets, schools and transport firms reopening on Mondays following the cancellation, though turnout remains uneven and below pre-2021 levels. The weekly shutdown, initially linked to protests over the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, had constrained movement and curtailed trade across major commercial hubs.
Monday sit-at-home ban restores activity
In Enugu, offices and markets now open on Mondays after Governor Peter Mbah declared the practice illegal in June 2023. Transport operators including Peace Mass Transit and Young Shall Grow Motors have resumed services, while some firms still limit operations. Banks in several areas operate shortened hours, reflecting cautious demand.
Traders at Ogbete Main Market said shops open but customer traffic is lighter than on other weekdays. Some self-employed residents now treat Mondays as a personal rest day. A civil servant said the state secretariat runs a full five-day week.
In Anambra, marketplaces in Onitsha and Nnewi saw more people by mid-morning as security personnel tried to calm traders. State officials told parents to bring their kids to school on Mondays because it would be safer.
Concerns about safety lower confidence
Abakaliki in Ebonyi is following the prohibition more closely, although rural areas are still cautious. Some transporters only allow journeys during the day.
Initial Public Offering
IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, recently announced the permanent cancellation of the Monday directive effective Feb. 9, adding momentum to the policy shift. Human rights advocate Larry Oguego said the habit formed over four years would not “evaporate overnight,” urging efforts to change behaviour alongside enforcement.
Despite lingering caution, traders say consistent participation by commuters and customers will be critical to restoring full economic momentum across the region.
