The Anambra State Government has stated that the state loses approximately N8 billion weekly because of persistent Monday sit‑at‑home orders, with the wider South‑East region losing about N19.6 billion in the same period, the Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, said in a press statement.
Mefor announced the figures on January 26, 2026, as part of government efforts to address ongoing economic disruptions blamed on recurring voluntary shutdowns linked to the sit‑at‑home practice.
In response, authorities have ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to resume business despite official directives to ignore the shutdown.
The press statement said the Onitsha Main Market would remain closed from January 26 to January 31, 2026, and will only reopen on February 2, 2026, after which traders are expected to resume normal operations.
It warned that failure to comply with the Monday work resumption directive could lead to a one‑month market closure beginning Monday, February 2.
The government said all other markets in Anambra State are expected to operate on Mondays and that any market found closed on Mondays will face similar closures.
The statement also assured traders and citizens of maximum security and urged the public to report security breaches via designated contact lines.
The economic losses attributed to the sit‑at‑home orders have renewed emphasis on recent government measures to reassert normal business and public service activity on Mondays.
Government sources say the sit‑at‑home practice, which began in August 2021 as part of a pressure campaign linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, continues to deter economic activities despite official opposition.
In related initiatives, the state government has moved to tie salary payments for civil servants to attendance on Mondays and to enforce compliance through disciplinary measures.
Analysts say these measures aim to bolster productivity, strengthen internally generated revenue, and stabilise economic life in the state.
Economic disruptions from the sit‑at‑home have previously affected commercial activity, transport, education, and public services, drawing criticism from business groups and policymakers who view the shutdowns as detrimental to regional development and investment confidence.
The government’s enforcement actions underline ongoing tensions between public policy objectives and local compliance with voluntary shutdowns, signalling intensified efforts to normalise economic routines and reduce fiscal losses tied to Monday inactivity.
