Traders and residents across the South-East have raised concerns over declining patronage, rising commodity prices and increasing operating costs, saying the economic strain is making it difficult for businesses to survive.
From Aba and Umuahia in Abia to Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi in Anambra, and across Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states, South-East traders said transportation costs, fuel prices, multiple levies and weak consumer purchasing power had significantly affected their businesses. They said customers who previously purchased goods in bulk were increasingly buying only what they could afford for immediate needs, leaving many businesses struggling to recover their capital.
In Aba, Abia State, residents said the prices of staple foods, including rice, beans, yam, tomatoes, garri, pepper and onions, had continued to rise. They attributed much of the increase to higher fuel prices and the rising cost of transporting and producing goods.
Aba resident Oluchi Nwankpa said the amount she previously spent preparing meals for her family could no longer provide the same quantity. At Cemetery Market, trader Ada Emeka-Ogbugo said suppliers continued to increase their prices as their operating expenses rose.
“Prices of goods have continued to increase in the market. Whatever commodity you buy at a particular time must have an increase the next day,” she said. Another trader, Friday, said many consumers were now focused primarily on food.
“You can observe that people are only interested in buying foodstuff to feed their families. Only survival matters now,” he said.
Produce merchant Egbu Peters also attributed part of the increase to transportation expenses, middlemen and alleged charges at security checkpoints along major highways. He said traders transporting tomatoes, vegetables and other produce from northern states to the South-East often incurred additional costs that were eventually passed on to consumers.
In Enugu, foodstuff dealers said falling purchasing power had changed consumer behaviour. Trader Ngozika Igbokwe said customers who once purchased food in large quantities could now afford only smaller portions.
“We don’t sell goods like before. We find it difficult to sell after buying from the company or dealers,” she said.
She said some perishable goods now remained unsold for longer periods, increasing the risk of losses. Igbokwe called for lower taxes and government grants to help small businesses remain operational. Petty trader Kevin Ugwuogor said traders who borrowed money were also struggling to repay loans because of weak sales.
“We borrowed money from banks to do business, but when you buy goods, you will not sell them quickly enough to recoup the money before the end of the month when you are expected to pay the bank interest,” he said.
He urged the government to improve consumer purchasing power and provide affordable credit to small businesses.
The situation was similar in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi, where traders said rising operating costs were putting pressure on their businesses.
Onitsha Main Market trader Clement Nwadikwa said his declining capital had made it increasingly difficult to replenish his stock. He attributed the pressure to the removal of fuel subsidy, naira depreciation and higher transportation costs. Electronics dealer Nicholas Okeke said businesses dealing in non-essential goods were particularly affected as households increasingly prioritised food and rent.
“With fuel prices above N1,000, the cost of moving goods from Lagos ports to Onitsha and other cities in the South-East became very high,” he said.
At Abakaliki International Market, traders said declining patronage had left many businesses struggling. Trader Joy Ezediora said customers could no longer afford to patronise businesses as they previously did.
“There is no money, hunger and starvation everywhere. It is when the customers have money that they will come to market to patronise us,” she said.
Another trader, Ekene Nwankwo, said some business owners had resorted to consuming their capital to meet their needs.
“There is no business. Some of us have been eating from capital. I don’t have goods in my shop anymore,” he said.
Building materials dealer Chukwudi Nweke said weak demand had also affected cement dealers, with some products remaining unsold for extended periods. The traders called for grants and empowerment programmes to enable them to restock and sustain their businesses.
At Relief Market in Owerri, Imo State, traders identified low sales and multiple levies as major challenges. Fabric seller Ifeanyi Osuji said his sales had fallen significantly.
“Our biggest challenge is low sales. I now sell about half of what I used to sell before this government came into power,” he said.
Trader Bridget Nwankwo also complained about an annual levy of N24,000, in addition to other charges. She appealed for a reduction in levies, arguing that businesses were already struggling with low turnover.
At Eke Market in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, traders identified poor drainage, congestion and inadequate infrastructure as additional obstacles. Condiments seller Ezinne Nwobodo said flooding during rainfall made the market difficult for customers to access.
“Every part of the market becomes marshy whenever it rains and it has made customers to consider other places where they buy condiments. We hardly sell anything when it rains,” she said.
Cosmetic dealer Emeka Amadi called for expansion of the market to accommodate more traders and customers. The market serves residents of Nkanu West and surrounding communities, as well as students and staff of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology and the Nigerian Law School’s Agbani Campus. Traders have also resorted to displaying goods along major roads because of congestion and inadequate stalls, contributing to traffic around the market.
Beyond weak sales and high operating expenses, traders in Onitsha also cited multiple taxation, rising shop rents and alleged harassment as concerns. Former market union leader Kenneth Okafor called for government intervention over alleged harassment of traders involved in disputes concerning shop leases.
He alleged that some traders and market leaders had been arrested and taken outside Anambra State over disputes with property owners. According to him, some traders had invested substantially in renovating or reconstructing market facilities based on agreements with property owners before disputes later emerged over the terms.
Okafor called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Anambra State Government to investigate the allegations and ensure that disputes were handled according to the law. He also urged the authorities to prevent the disputes from escalating into wider unrest in the markets.
Across the region, South-East traders urged federal and state governments to address the factors driving up the cost of goods and business operations.
They called for measures including affordable credit, grants, improved market infrastructure, lower taxes and levies, reduced transportation costs and policies capable of restoring consumers’ purchasing power. For many businesses, traders said, the immediate concern was no longer expansion but simply remaining operational as rising costs continue to collide with falling demand.
