The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the alleged demand by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for ₦700,000 from each trader as a precondition for reopening shops at the Onitsha Head Bridge Market in Anambra State.
NAFDAC had earlier shut down several shops in the popular market on allegations of dealing in fake and substandard pharmaceutical products. However, traders claimed that the agency has since demanded ₦700,000 from each shop owner before they can resume business operations.
Reacting to the development in a statement posted via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Peter Obi described the alleged demand as “disturbing and insensitive,” warning that it reflects the growing hardship and lack of empathy towards Nigeria’s struggling business community.
“It is deeply troubling to hear that traders, many of whom are small business owners already enduring economic hardship, are being asked to pay ₦700,000 to reopen their shops,” Obi said.
He recalled visiting the market when it was initially closed and expressed support for regulatory efforts to rid society of counterfeit goods, particularly fake drugs. However, he stressed that the closure should not translate into further victimisation or economic sabotage of legitimate business owners.
Obi warned that Nigeria’s economic recovery depends significantly on the survival of its Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which are currently suffocating under regulatory and economic pressures. He revealed that over 7 million MSMEs have shut down in the past two years, largely due to policies that stifle rather than support their operations.
“Our MSMEs are at a ‘we can’t breathe’ stage,” he said. “And the very system that should be providing them with oxygen is instead choking them.”
He called on NAFDAC and relevant authorities to reconsider and withdraw the alleged fee, and to prioritise policies that encourage economic inclusion, compassion, and recovery for Nigeria’s struggling entrepreneurs.
“These shop owners have endured months of closures, mounting debts, and an economy that continues to squeeze them from all sides. Imposing such a levy is unjust and economically dangerous. Government action must be guided by compassion,” Obi concluded.
The former Anambra State governor urged NAFDAC to accelerate its investigations and allow legitimate businesses to reopen without imposing crippling financial demands.
