Anambra launches digitalization programme for markets

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By Madu Obi

The Anambra State government has initiated a statewide market stall digitization project to address recurring shop ownership conflicts among traders.

This exercise is also part of Governor Soludo's vision to make Anambra State a digitally inclusive and economically vibrant state.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Trade and Markets, Chief Evaristus Uba, said the initiative is in the best interest of traders, as it would make financial interactions with the government seamless.

"We want to revalidate ownership and digitize shops in the state. We would have each shop captured in the state database with the details of the owner, which will enhance smooth payment of levies attached to the shops", Uba said.

According to him, the project aims to capture each shop in the state database to enable government know the specific number of shops in each market.

Uba explained that shop owners are required to revalidate ownership with a one-time payment of N10,000 before the end of the first quarter of 2025.

The President General, Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), Chief Humphrey Anuna, lauded the revalidation initiative, stating that it will reduce litigations and conflicts over shop ownership.

Also speaking, the government consultant for the project, Deacon Paul Emeka, noted that the revalidation policy aligns with the National Digital Economic Policy, which enables traders to use their validated shops as collateral for bank facilities.

Some traders have already begun the revalidation process, with certificates issued to them during the flag-off exercise.