Dodo Eraser

As an indigene and due to the nature of my upbringing, I have spent many years in this market. I know it the way I know to eat with my right hand. The people who come here make mistakes that cost them money, valuables and sometimes their sanity. To avoid losing any of these or worse, you must know what this place is, how to navigate it, and the survival skills required. This survival guide was created with your best interest in mind.

Understanding the place:

Main Market Onitsha, located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, is one of the largest markets in Africa. With a history that dates back to the 16th century, when it was Otu-Nkwor Eze operating every fourth day and traders exchanged goods along the Niger River. A place, you may have heard if you paid attention to history books, that was destroyed during the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War of 1968 but rebuilt to be bigger and organized into different parts. It is a huge landmass of history, culture and survival.

Navigation:

You’ll always find a flood of humans: Nigerians of all tribes, colours and heights; voluptuous Cameroonian women who oared rivers to buy Ankara in bulk;  Chinese or Filipinos who walk in clusters with a Black translator; Senegalese ladies whose Wolof-tinged accent makes sellers smile too sweetly; and Nigeriens who you can’t differentiate from Nigerians.

Try not to be overwhelmed by the voices that twist in the air—the loudspeakers from the buses peddling a cure-all concoction, the honking tricycles, the speakers from three competing shops blaring about SIM card registrations and POS services, the market guides who touch and call, and the sellers weaving sweet names to lure you to their shops—it’s all hustle.

Walk through it all: the colorful and towering plazas, the bustling, sprinting crowd, the scent of new things, and the avalanche of everything you think you need. You must blend into the speed, and keep your gaze sharp.

Five important tips to navigate like a veteran:

1. Do not appear lost or you will become prey.
2. Store your cash beneath your garments and hold a handbag for illusion.
3. Never use gadgets while moving.
4. Every time a hand touches you, cover yourself with the Blood of the Lamb—something could go missing, including your reasoning.
5. Avoid market guides, especially those that communicate with sellers in coded language—they are your bane.

Survival Skills

Now, here are the basic Main Market survival skills everyone should know:

1. Surveying: Move around the market and find sections specializing in what you want. It gives you an upper hand and bountiful options.
2. Haggling: Start from thirty percent of whatever price you are told. If the seller ignores you, move to the next seller and start from fifty percent. Be gentle but firm.
3. Emotional Intelligence: Never buy with your emotions. Sellers will always trigger them.
4. Discerning: Never believe any seller who swears they are not lying.
5. Navigating your way out: When you are done, pay those called jobs to carry your bags, tell them the bus stop to take you but never let the distance between you two be wider than one metre.

Bonus Tip: Leave your flashy dresses and fancy accent at home—otherwise, this guide won’t help you.

I am glad you find this guide helpful. For questions or if you intend to start a business here and would like a One-on-one Main Market Business Mentorship, do not hesitate to contact me at info@surviveonitsha.org.

Till next time.

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Chisom Nsiegbunam is an emerging Nigerian writer and soon-to-be Environmental Health Officer. She is both a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee. Her works have appeared in various publications including Isele Magazine, Art4Life Anthology, Ubwali Literary Magazine, The AprilCentaur Network, Eunoia Review, and Afritondo. She was a fellow at the Ubwali Masterclass (‘25), inaugural Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop(‘24), and SprinNG Writing Fellowship (‘23).  She writes between many steeping cups of herbal tea.