Continued sit-at-home disruptions across Nigeria’s Southeast could derail the region’s N5.7 trillion fiscal development plan, economists and regional leaders warned Monday.
The fiscal plan, aimed at accelerating infrastructure, education, and healthcare investment across the five southeastern states, faces growing threats from repeated shutdowns driven by separatist agitation. Residents have observed sit-at-home orders mostly on Mondays, following calls from factions loyal to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Policy analysts say the weekly shutdowns have crippled economic activities, reduced productivity, and discouraged investors. “You can’t plan a long-term economy when key cities are shut down weekly,” said development economist Chuka Udeh.
According to the South East Governors Forum, the region loses billions of naira weekly as markets, schools, banks, and government offices remain closed. Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi states jointly account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium enterprise activity.
Despite IPOB’s leadership distancing itself from the enforced sit-at-home orders, violence and fear have continued to enforce compliance, especially in Imo and parts of Anambra.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the region’s socio-cultural group, urged the federal government to engage stakeholders and secure the release of Kanu as a step toward restoring stability. “Our people want to work, but they live in fear,” said group spokesperson Alex Ogbonnia.
Governors in the region are reportedly seeking federal security support while launching sensitization campaigns to restore normalcy.
