Onitsha

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Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Onitsha Stock Exchange, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Main Market Onitsha 4, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Main Market Onitsha, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Onitsha Main Market 15, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

About Onitsha

Onitsha grew up on the east bank of the River Niger as a crossroads of trade, and trade still defines it. Its Main Market is often described as one of the largest in West Africa, drawing buyers from across Nigeria and beyond, and the river bridges to Asaba carry a constant stream of goods and people.

The town is also an old Igbo kingdom with a traditional ruler, the Obi of Onitsha, whose annual Ofala festival fills the palace grounds with royal regalia, dancers and drums. From the mid-nineteenth century Onitsha became a base for Christian missions, and its Anglican and Catholic cathedrals remain important landmarks. In the twentieth century it was famous for its market literature, cheap pamphlets of advice and romance sold in the stalls.

Onitsha is busy, crowded and full of energy rather than a classic tourist town, but it rewards curious visitors. Ogbunike Caves, a short drive away, make a good escape into the forest. Check current travel advice before visiting.

Best seasonNovember to February, in the dry season

Ideal stay1-2 days

ArrivingAsaba Airport is just across the Niger, and roads link Onitsha with Enugu, Awka and Lagos

7 Unforgettable Things to Do in Onitsha

Shopping 1

Onitsha Main Market, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Onitsha Main Market

Sprawling near the river, the Main Market is often described as one of the largest markets in West Africa, with thousands of stall...

Landmarks 1

River Niger Bridge Onitsha, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

River Niger Bridge Onitsha

Opened in 1965, the bridge between Onitsha and Asaba was for decades the main road link across the lower Niger between eastern and...

Events 1

Ofala Festival Onitsha, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Ofala Festival Onitsha

Each year, usually in October, the Obi of Onitsha emerges in full regalia for the Ofala festival, which marks the anniversary of h...

History 1

Obi's Palace Onitsha, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Obi's Palace Onitsha

The palace of the Obi of Onitsha is the heart of the town's traditional kingdom, where the ruler meets chiefs, receives visitors a...

Temples and Shrines 2

Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity

The Catholic mission that the Holy Ghost Fathers founded at Onitsha in 1885 grew into one of the strongest in Nigeria, and the Bas...

All Saints Cathedral Onitsha, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

All Saints Cathedral Onitsha

The Church Missionary Society established a mission at Onitsha in 1857 under Samuel Ajayi Crowther, later the first African Anglic...

Nature 1

Ogbunike Caves, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria

Ogbunike Caves

A short drive from Onitsha, the Ogbunike Caves are a network of chambers and tunnels set in a forested valley, reached by a long f...

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Photo credits

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ngostary2k, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kingsely king, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Ngostary2k, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Frankincense Diala, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Nonso wesley, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Shiraz Chakera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Cyril Okeke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: NjoYMan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Eaghadiuno, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Onyinyeonuoha, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: MikeJanetta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: Eroxzy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Edimehsam, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Edimehsam, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Edimehsam, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0