Despite initial fears following the US-backed airstrikes in Northern Nigeria, everyday business and trade across the region have remained relatively steady, without any major disruptions.
This was revealed to The High Street Journal by Dr. Adeola Yusuf, Team Lead at Platforms Africa, based in Lagos, in an interview.
Dr. Yusuf explained that the strikes have not disrupted commercial activity because they were narrowly targeted at internationally recognised terrorist groups, including ISIS-linked cells, rather than civilian areas or economic hubs.
He tells The High Street Journal that the groups targeted in the operation operate outside Nigeria’s formal and informal economy. These groups, he says, are officially designated as terrorist groups by the Nigerian state.
With their official designation by the Nigerian authorities, no legitimate trader, transporter, farmer, or business owner identifies with them or depends on them for livelihood.
As a result, their neutralisation has not interrupted supply chains, market activity, or cross-community trade in the north.
This means that from local markets to intercity transport routes, business activity has continued as normal. Traders have kept shops open, food supplies are moving, and transport services are operating without restriction.
According to Dr. Yusuf, the absence of panic or shutdowns reflects public understanding that the airstrikes were security operations, not a broader military campaign affecting civilian life.
Moreover, because the government clearly identified the targets as terrorist groups, there has been no fear of arbitrary violence or collateral damage that could scare traders or investors.
In fact, he argued that removing security threats can improve long-term business confidence in the region, especially for agriculture, logistics, and cross-border trade.
“It has not affected any known business as we speak, and we expect it not to affect significant trade within the north. This is because the groups -ISIS and co.- targeted in the airstrikes have been declared as terrorist groups by Nigeria’s authorities,” he noted.
He added, “No one dares identify with the group, and so, the strikes are expected to cause no damage to any business.”
For now, he states that there is no evidence of business disruptions. If anything, he believes that restoring security helps create a safer environment for commerce to thrive.
