By Ebenezer Mabinuola
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the reported ₦700,000 reopening fee being demanded by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from traders at the Onitsha Head Bridge Market, calling it “unacceptable” and a form of economic sabotage.
In a statement released Monday, Obi said the fee places an unjust burden on small business owners who are already struggling with inflation, poor access to credit, and weak consumer demand. While he supported the initial regulatory crackdown on counterfeit drugs led by NAFDAC, Obi said that support was based on the expectation of fairness and compassion.
“These traders are not criminals,” he said. “They are hardworking Nigerians trying to survive. Asking them to pay ₦700,000 to reopen their shops is punishing those who are already gasping for air.”
The Onitsha Head Bridge Market, one of the largest commercial centers in West Africa, was partially shut down earlier this year as part of efforts to curb the sale of fake drugs. Since then, traders have decried the prolonged closure and unexpected financial demands.
Obi described the market as a “national economic artery” and warned that such actions threaten the survival of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), noting that Nigeria has lost over seven million MSMEs in two years — a crisis he called a “national emergency.”
“Our MSMEs are at a breaking point,” he said. “They are crying out, ‘we can’t breathe,’ and instead of relief, the system is squeezing them further.”
Obi urged NAFDAC and relevant agencies to waive the reopening fee and prioritize the immediate resumption of business. He called for a governance style rooted in empathy, stating, “Let us not confuse regulation with repression, or punishment with justice.”
As public outcry grows, stakeholders now await an official response from the authorities regarding the future of the market and its traders.
