The Maiduguri Central Market, popularly known as “Monday Market,” has been reopened for business after an eight-month closure due to a fire incident.

In February, the market was completely gutted by fire in a midnight inferno that destroyed goods worth billions of naira.

Inaugurating the rebuilt market at a ceremony on Monday, Governor Babagana Zulum said the remodelled market would accommodate 9,000 beneficiaries.

Mr Zulum said traders who rent shops and pay rent to the government in the market have been given a two-year waiver because of losses they incurred during the incident.

The governor also announced the support of N800 million to 2,825 traders who did not benefit from shop allocation in the remodelled market. They were assured that they would be given shops next year in another new market in Maiduguri.

“As a result of the remodelling, over 2,000 traders who either operated at a temporary site or built shops illegally on waterways could not get shops in the market.

“However, the government will support over 185 of them with N1 million each; 2,000 others will get N300,000 each; and about 640 will receive N100,000 each,” Mr Zulum said. 

(NAN)