By Bukola Idowu, Francis Okoye, Hannah Oni, Isaiah Benjamin and Olushola Bello
A market is a regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock and other commodities and without a single doubt, a market is an integral part of every nation and Nigeria is not an exception. In Nigeria, there are many markets that attract a huge number of people, where one can virtually buy anything at relatively good prices as well as get quality items.
Bukola Idowu, Olushola Bello and Hannah Oni, Lagos, Benjamin Isaiah, Kaduna, Francis Okoye, Maiduguri, write.
Kurmi Market, Kano
Kurmi market is one of Africa’s oldest local markets and was established in the 15th century as a trading and warehousing centre for the growing commercial activities in the city, a result of expanding regional and Trans-Saharan trade. It was built within the Jakara district of the city. At the time of its development, Kano had become a regional centre of trade in agricultural produce with a functional industry in weaving, cloth dyeing, leather making and pottery, this contributed to the attraction of the city to itinerant traders from Western Sudan, Tripoli and Ghadames who came to buy goods. Meanwhile, in 1904, the old market was demolished and a new one built so as to improve revenue generation for the Kano Native Authority. However, the direction of trade changed away from the city’s northern neighbours and Trans-Saharan trade to trade with the Southern neighbours and Europeans.
While in 1969, the administration of the market fell into the hands of the Kano Local Government. Since then, the local government has encouraged specialised markets within the city such as Yan Kaba for vegetables and Kofar Wambai for textiles, some traders also moved to new emerging growth centres in the city such as Fagge and the Sabon Gari market. Currently, the market has lost some of its lore as a centre of regional trade and caters mostly to local consumer interests.
Maiduguri Monday Market
The idea of constructing a befitting modern market for Maiduguri was conceived in 1972: this idea could not however, materialise until the sad fire incident of 1979, which completely razed down the old Maiduguri Monday Market.
Commissioned in 1985 as Maiduguri Monday Market Company Ltd and located at the heart of Maiduguri metropolis, the market is nicknamed the mother of markets in the northeast region because of its business records in the region. Merchants from many African countries such as Sudan, Cameroon, T’chad, Central African Republic, Morocco as well as Libya depend on the market for their business activities in Nigeria.
It is called a cat with nine lives because of its ability to withstand the activities of Boko Haram terrorists who attacked the market on different periods without success. Transactions in the market on a daily basis, before the insurgency, was between two and three billion naira daily.
Ariaria International Market, Aba
Tagged the China of Africa, Ariaria International Market in Aba, Abia State is one of the largest market in West Africa and was established in the 1970s after a great fire incident devastated the Ekeoha Market in Aba. It sprung up from a swampy location on the outskirts of Aba, and grew to become a one-stop market where one could buy virtually all that one needs both in bulk or retail and at good prices. It earned its nickname of China of Africa because of its versatility in the making of wears, shoes and leather works. It also houses imitators of international fashion labels. With an estimated two million traders, it is the largest shoe making market in Africa. At its peak, the Ariaria market, which cuts across three local government areas of Aba North, Aba South and Osisioma served the West African sub-region including Cameroon and Gabon in central Africa. Products from this market is found in almost all parts of the country.
Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State
Onitsha market is another major market in Nigeria and one of the largest in West Africa. Most of the major import merchants from Eastern Nigeria have their head offices within the market. The average traders in the area are known to bring in at least six consignments of 40 tonnes (40-feet containers) of goods annually. Some of the major importers do more than 20 consignments of 40 tonnes of goods per year. These include jewellery, clothing, household, industrial and office equipment. It is bounded by the River Niger to the West and Fegge through Osumaru Road from the East. Governed by one of the most revered traders associations in Nigeria, the Onitsha Market Traders Association (OMATA), the market is secured by the Onitsha Main Market Vigilante Services working under the auspices of the Nigeria Police Force. The market can rightfully be described as the commercial power house of West Africa, as it is massively patronised by merchants in the ECOWAS sub-region including Accra, Abidjan, Douala, Niamey and Cotonou to mention a few.
Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos
Alaba International Market is the mother of electronics market in Nigeria and West Africa. It is located in Ojoo area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Apart from the sales of electronic products, the market also deals in the repair of home appliances.The market and its wide range of business activities gives opportunities to electronics and electrical engineers who specialise in the repair of faulty home appliances to transact businesses with dealers in electronics. The daily business transactions and popularity of the market has attracted new investors and electronic dealers across Africa thereby expanding the market size and population with significant effects on the economy of Lagos State. Alaba international market is an offshoot of street market in Alaka that was relocated to Suru and expanded until it had to be relocated to a forest in Ojoo on April 18, 1978. Today, the market boasts of over 5000 shops excluding attachments and sub-shops. More than two million people transact business in this market daily.
Idumota Market, Lagos Island
Idumota Market, located on Lagos Island is one of the oldest and arguably one of the largest markets in West Africa with tens of thousands of lock-up shops occupying various buildings in the market. The market pour polarity known as Eko holds the biggest collection of varieties in terms of textile, interior decor, jewelleries, shoes, bags, and it also serves alongside Alaba market as the distribution point for Nollywood movies. It is also a major distribution point for consumables and household wares with patronage coming from all parts of the country. Segmented into several areas that are specialised for particular wares, it is possible for a first timer to get lost in the narrow streets and massive buildings. Idumota market is so popular that large sales are recorded as early as 7am. In 2010, the Lagos State government demolished some illegal structures in order to improve vehicular and human movement in and around the market. Also peculiar to the market is the residential stars that it has as many buildings, most of which are five to six storey buildings, serve the dual purpose of commercial and residential. The market is always open for business as early as 6 am and bubbles till 7pm.
Bodija Market, Ibadan
Bodija Market is a popular open-air market located in Bodija, a district in Ibadan North Local government of Oyo State. Reputable to be the hub for the sale and distribution of cattle and livestock in Oyo State, the market is populated by Hausa and Yoruba traders and has thus led to several inter-ethnic conflict in recent years. The market was established in October 1987. Its establishment came as a result of growth and overcrowding at the Orita Merin foodstuff market in Ibadan. The Oyo State government under the military administration of Tunji Olurin then relocated many food stuff traders from Orita Merin to the new Bodija market in 1987. Along with the produce traders, cattle sellers from Sango, Ibadan were also relocated to the market. The location of the market is close to the Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin interstate road network. This allows produce farmers from Northern Nigeria and from Northern Oyo state easier access to transport their produce to the market. Also, a timber market exist in close proximity to Bodija. The design of the market is such that each produce such as pepper, beans, rice and yam has its own rows of stalls. The market is a mixture of open space trading and concrete and wooden stalls. A lot of wholesalers gravitate towards ownership of the concrete stalls while retailers own most of the open space kiosks and trading locations.
Jos Terminal Market, Jos
Jos Main Market, also known as Jos Terminal Market, was more than a trading centre, also a tourist attraction. Visitors to the state stopped by to take in its beauty, its extensive size, to say nothing of its architecture; an ultra-modern market located in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, and known to be the largest indoor market in West Africa. It was established under the first military governor of the old Benue-Plateau State, Joseph Gomwalk. It became the hub for the sale of all sorts of commodities including cosmetics and clothing until it was gutted by fire in 2002 by unknown persons. Attempts by past administrations to rebuild the market has proved futile and a twin bomb blast which occurred around the market on May 20, 2014 further dragged the market to its current dilapidated state.
The market was one of two major reasons why people visited Jos, the Plateau State capital. The other reason was the unique cool weather. When the market was constructed even up till 2011, one could not find its type in any state of the federation. The market had a unique design that made it the most attractive tourist site in the state. People travelled from all over the country to catch a glimpse of it. The tourism impact of the market was such that the federal government counted it as one of its topmost tourism destinations.
Oil Mill Market, Port Harcourt
The Oil Mill Market otherwise known as Wednesday or Midweek market came into existence in Rumukwrushi, Port Harcourt soon after the Nigerian/Biafran war. The market started out as Nnempi market whose major trade commodity was cassava and palm products. Although the market is meant to hold once a week, its surroundings have evolved to an everyday market done while the main market day remains the busiest day.
Zaki Biam Yam Market, Benue State
Zaki Biam Yam Market opened for business over five decades ago and has grown to become the largest yam market in West Africa. Located in Sankera axis of Ukum local government area of Benue State, the food basket of the nation, the market is opened only to buyers and sellers of yam. Buyers from different parts of the country meet with farmers, first hand sellers and middlemen to purchase yam in quantities. Zaki Biam market is the best place to buy yam at a very low cost as a higher percentage of the sellers are local yam cultivators. Benue is Nigeria’s largest yam producing state and Zaki Biam records an average of 1.5 million tubers annually.
Mile 12 Market, Ketu
Mile 12 market is located in Ikosi/Ketu local government area of Lagos State. It is the largest food market in Lagos State as food items from all parts of the country are sold there. These include fruits, tomatoes, pepper, onions, yam, yam flour, vegetable and palm oils and other numerous edible food items. Likewise, non-edible items are sold there. The market is about 30 years old and it has been serving people from far and near with so much benefits. The market consists of traders from different ethnic groups in Nigeria. These include: Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Fulani, Efik, Edo, Igala, Idoma, and Ebira just to mention a few. All these traders warmly interact with themselves. On a daily basis, millions of naira is generated there. This is so because items from the market are sold to myriads of local buyers as well as some exported beyond the shores of the country. It is one of its kind in Nigeria. Recently, a tribal clash in the market forced the state government to close down the market and there have been talks of relocating the traders.
Abubakar Gumi Central Market, Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north western Nigeria and a trade centre and a major transportation hub for surrounding agricultural areas. The Kaduna central market now known as Abubakar Gumi central market houses various kinds of trades ranging from food stuffs, clothing and several other items being sold. It is being managed by the Kaduna market development board that sees to the daily running of the market. The design of the market is such that it has various sections dealing with specific items, there is a section that deals with perishable food stuffs like tomatoes, pepper, onions among others in that category. There is the grain section, clothing, cooking items among others. The market operates opening and closing time on a daily basis, the market opens between 8-9 am and closes by 6pm. Security operatives are always on ground round the clock to ensure the protection of the items in the market.
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