Business
Int’l Market: Ebonyi Assures Traders Of Shop Ownership
The Ebonyi State Government has assured traders and other citizens who procured shops at the Margaret Umahi International Market, Abakaliki of permanent ownership of the shops.
Tide’s source reports that the multi-billion Naira market complex situated on the Trans-Saharan Enugu-Abakaliki-Cross River-Cameroon highway was constructed by the preceding administration but was not completed before leaving office.
The incumbent administration of Govoner David Umahi, condemned the standard of work at the complex and embarked on the renovation of some structures while reconstructing others.
Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Chairman of the State Executive Council (EXCO) Committee on the market, told newsmen during the allotting of shops that renovation and reconstruction had attained 80 per cent completion.
Ugbala, who is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Internal Security to the governor, noted that the allotment had to commence to implement the government’s decision to relocate traders in major markets in Abakaliki to the place by October 1, 2018.
“We therefore, commend potential shop owners at the market for obeying the government’s directive to purchase the shops.
“They are assured that the shops will be allotted to them permanently on purchase as they have the luxury of making 50 per cent payment to complete the balance in two years.
“Payment will be on the ratio of 30: 20; they can first pay 30 per cent and 20 per cent later, all within the stipulated two years,” he said.
The committee chairman said that on making the 50 per cent payment, the allottees would be issued a temporary allocation paper and given the permanent one with the Certificate of Ownership (C of O) after the full payment.
“Allottees who complete their payment at once will be issued their permanent allocation papers and C of O as we are doing this to push the people towards their blessing,” he said.
He noted that the state EXCO liaised with the various market authorities and arrived at prices it felt were affordable in spite of complaints of high cost.
“Shops downstairs cost N3.2 million and upstairs, N3 million, shops at the bungalows: N2.5m, while single smaller shops cost N1.3 million.
“Traders at major markets in the town should hasten purchasing the shops because no allotment will be reserved for late allottees no matter their status in the society.
“Ebonyi citizens in particular, are advised to heed to the directive to prevent outsiders from procuring the shops because politicians and civil servants among others can procure shops to supplement their earnings.
“Facilities such as asphalted-roads, banks, standard toilets, fire-fighting services, police station, clinics, schools, including those for kindergartens and close-circuit cameras among others are provided inside the market,” he said.
Mr Peter Nwaogbaga, the governor’s Special Assistant on market development, noted that the debris found within the complex were from the old structures at the market.
“It will not take us one week to evacuate the debris and we have fully constructed and channelled drains around the market to prevent flooding,” he said.
Chief Daniel Okorie, a businessman, said that he had purchased five shops at the market: three shops for N3.2 million and two shops for N2.5 million.
“I made 50 per cent payment for them and will certainly purchase more because I am satisfied with what I saw inside the market.
Mrs Virginian Nwofe, a vegetable trader at the Abakpa main market, however, expressed doubt that traders could afford the exorbitant cost of the shops.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has criticised Nigeria’s import ban on 25 categories of goods, claiming that the restrictions limit market access for American exporters.
This is the effect of President Donald Trump’s tariffs introduction on goods entering the United States, with Nigeria facing a 14 per cent duty.
The USTR highlighted the impact of Nigeria’s import ban on various sectors, particularly agriculture, pharmaceuticals, beverages, and consumer goods.
The restrictions affect items such as beef, pork, poultry, fruit juices, medicaments, and alcoholic beverages, which the United States sees as significant barriers to trade.
The agency argues that these limitations reduce export opportunities for United States businesses and lead to lost revenue.
“Nigeria’s import ban on 25 different product categories impacts United States exporters, particularly in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, beverages, and consumer goods.
“Restrictions on items like beef, pork, poultry, fruit juices, medicaments, and spirits limit United States market access and reduce export opportunities.
“These policies create significant trade barriers that lead to lost revenue for United States businesses looking to expand in the Nigerian market”, the agency said .
In 2016, Nigeria implemented the ban on these 25 items as part of efforts to control imports and stimulate local production.
Some of the banned items include poultry, pork, refined vegetable oil, sugar, cocoa products, spaghetti, beer, and certain medicines.
On March 26, 2025, the Federal Government also announced plans to halt solar panel imports to encourage local manufacturing as part of its push for clean energy.
A leading agribusiness strategist and digital agriculture expert, Ayo Oluwa Okediji, has sought cooperative-driven investments in sustaining growth of poultry industry in Nigeria.
He said the poultry industry was at a defining moment and requires urgent structural reforms to secure its future and ensure long-term sustainability.
Speaking on the theme, “Strengthening Poultry Farming Through Cooperative Synergy and Strategic Investments”, at the recently concluded Oyo Mega Poultry Workshop 2025 in Ibadan, Okediji called on poultry farmers, cooperative leaders, financial institutions and policy makers to rethink the existing structure of the poultry sector.
He stressed the need to transition from fragmented, individually-driven operations to well-structured, cooperative-led enterprises capable of attracting sustainable financing and securing long-term viability.
He said, “Our poultry sector cannot thrive on individual effort alone. We need to organise ourselves into cooperative clusters, build strong governance systems and position ourselves to attract the level of investment needed to sustain this industry beyond this generation.”
Drawing on lessons from successful global cooperative models such as Rabobank in the Netherlands and Landus Cooperative in the United States, Okediji introduced the FarmClusters Poultry Model, a locally adapted solution developed by Agribusiness Dynamics Technology Limited (AgDyna), a subsidiary of AgroInfoTech Africa.
According to him, the model is currently being piloted in Oyo State in partnership with PANOY Agribusiness Limited and local poultry cooperatives.
The Rivers State Representative of the Nigeria Chambers of Commerce, Mines, Industries and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. Erasmus Chukwundah, has urged palm oil farmers to consider hybrid seedlings for planting, if they must break even in palm oil business.
Chukwundah said this recently at the Free Oil Palm Business Climate Smart Best Management Practice/Assistance Training organized by Partnership Initiative In Niger Delta (PIND) for Palm Oil Farmers in Elele, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The Rivers representative said until palm oil farmers begin to consider such hybrid oil palm seedlings, they may not meet up with the daily increasing demand of palm oil in the market.
According to him, the seedlings produce up to 30 bunches at once that ripen same time.
He said PIND decided to partner with Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN) to ensure that the message was received by the targeted audience.
According to him, palm oil remained a popular choice of industry operators as it could be converted to many other products such as vegetable cooking oil.
He also noted that products such as motor tyers, marine ropes and others are now gotten from the palm tree.
Chukwundah, who is the immediate past Director-General of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industries, and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), further warned against use of unrecommended fertilisers in growing oil palms.
He noted that such practices could limit its export value or chances as the foreign marketers have a way of detecting such .
He reiterated the need for organic fertilizers, including poultry droppings, to enable them have a natural palm oil.
“People must reduce physical contact with palm oil production. That is why we are campaigning for hydrolic oil mills. The foreign markets are no longer interested in crude method of palm oil production”, he said.
Meanwhile, one of the farmers, Sonny Didia, who appreciated Chukwundah’s commitment towards the concern of farmers, appealed for an urgent need for loan opportunity with low interest rate in order to enable them beat the target.
King Onunwor