Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Anambra State Government has commenced the issuance of demolition notices to more than 500 owners and occupiers of illegal, dilapidated, and unsafe structures across the commercial city of Nnewi as part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s urban regeneration programme. The exercise, led by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, marks the first phase of a comprehensive regeneration initiative designed to restore order, improve infrastructure, and reposition Nnewi as a modern industrial and commercial hub.
The enforcement exercise, which began on Friday, June 5, 2026, has already seen officials from the ministry visiting various locations to physically mark properties that have been flagged for removal. Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barrister Chijioke Oseloka Ojukwu, personally led the inspection team to several major corridors including Onitsha Road, Anaedo Hall Road, Hundred Foot Road, Ezenwegwu Road, the Post Office area, and the Nkwo axis, among other parts of the metropolis. The exercise is part of what the commissioner described as “Operation Zero Shanties in Nnewi,” a determined push to eliminate the environmental and security hazards posed by unauthorised developments and neglected infrastructure.
The affected structures include shanties erected beneath high-tension power lines, buildings constructed without approved setbacks, unauthorised developments, filling stations, hotels, and other decrepit structures considered hazardous to public safety and urban development. The targeted locations span strategic areas of the city, including the Nnewi Triangle axis, Hundred Foot Road, Post Office area, Anaedo Road, Igwe Orizu Road, Ezemewi Road, Nkwo axis, sections of the Nnewi–Owerri Road right-of-way, as well as major Trunk A road corridors in Otolo, Umudim, and Uruagu. According to the Commissioner, the notices also serve as a formal warning to owners of structures obstructing the right-of-way of the newly dualised Nnewi–Owerri Road and other areas earmarked for redevelopment under the state’s urban transformation agenda.
Property owners have been granted a two-week ultimatum to comply voluntarily after receiving their notices. Upon expiration of the stipulated period, the government will commence full demolition activities, starting with the Nnewi Triangle area, where the state government plans to complete the long-abandoned Nnewi Triangle Mall project. According to the Ministry, the renewal programme will also facilitate the development of modern bus terminals, recreational centres, and other public infrastructure designed to enhance economic activity and urban mobility.
Governor Soludo’s administration has framed the demolition exercise as the first step in a broader strategy to reclaim abandoned public assets, eliminate urban blight, address infrastructure deficits, and create a more functional and attractive city environment. The governor had days earlier undertaken an inspection tour of Nnewi, where he pledged to rebuild the industrial city to match its status as the industrial heartbeat of the South-East. During the tour, Soludo signalled a strategic shift in his administration’s urban renewal agenda, launching an aggressive inspection of key public infrastructure and development sites across the city.
Speaking during the enforcement exercise, Commissioner Ojukwu expressed concern over the growing trend of property development without the requisite government approvals, stressing that such violations of physical planning regulations would no longer be tolerated. “We have commenced the issuance of notices, and upon the expiration of the stipulated period, all affected structures will be removed,” Ojukwu warned. He acknowledged that urban renewal initiatives often come with temporary inconveniences but maintained that the exercise was ultimately in the overall interest of the public. “This urban regeneration programme may involve some level of discomfort, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary challenges. It is no longer business as usual. Anambra State has adequate laws governing physical planning, and everyone must henceforth comply with the provisions of the law,” he said.
The demolition push follows closely on the heels of other urban renewal measures by the Soludo administration, including a recent ban on open mechanic workshops across major cities in the state. Taken together, these policies are designed to transform Anambra into what the governor has described as an “African-Dubai-Taiwan Silicon Valley” — a modern, orderly, and economically vibrant hub. The city of Nnewi, which has long been regarded as the industrial nerve centre of the South-East, has in recent years seen its reputation dimmed by haphazard development, neglected public assets, and encroachments on road corridors. The government hopes that the ongoing demolition exercise will not only clear physical hazards but also restore investor confidence and public pride in the city.
While acknowledging the likely discomfort for affected property owners, the Commissioner appealed to residents and business owners to cooperate with the government. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to enforcing physical planning laws with fairness and firmness in pursuit of a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous Nnewi. The Ministry has also clarified that the current exercise applies specifically to properties that contravene planning regulations or pose safety risks. Legal property owners who have obtained proper approvals for development have no cause for concern.
Residents of Nnewi have received the news with mixed reactions. Some have applauded the government’s resolve to tackle the city’s worsening urban blight, which they say has made parts of the metropolis unsightly and unsafe. Others have expressed concern about the short notice given to affected property owners and the potential displacement of low-income residents who rely on shanties for shelter or trade. The government, however, has maintained that while the transition may be difficult, the long-term benefits of a well-planned city far outweigh the short-term costs. For the people of Nnewi, the coming weeks will reveal whether Soludo’s urban regeneration dream will become a reality or become just another abandoned promise.
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