Onitsha is the largest city in Anambra State. It is estimated to have a population of more than 6 million, as of 2005. Rich in tradition, it is the residence of the traditional Igbo regional chieftain, the Obi of Onitsha. It is also home to a significant number of renowned Nigerians (past and present) in various fields of endeavour including Law, Medicine etc.

Infrastructure & Economy
Onitsha is also a significant commercial city and river port. It is a major centre for trade between the coastal regions and the north, as well as between eastern and western Nigeria. The ascendancy of modern-day Onitsha as a commercial city was accelerated in 1964 when a bridge was built across the Niger River to replace the ferry crossing. Trade soared between the east and west of Nigeria, making Onitsha the strategic gateway for trade between the former eastern and western regions. After the Biafra-Nigeria civil war, the subsequent oil boom years brought a huge influx of immigrants into the city. The war-damaged facilities, then still under repair, could not cope with the pace of the rural-urban exodus into the city. Consequently, slums began to emerge from the haphazard building construction hastly embarked upon to accommodate the huge influx. This situation has become considerably worse over the years as a result of neglect by consecutive federal and state governemnts.

There is a booming trade in modern day industrial products such as textiles, beer, mineral water, shoes, lumber, tyres, nails and printed publications. Traditional occupations include fishing and canoe-building. Local agriculture produces palm oil, maize, nuts, vegetables, and fruit.