Onitsha is a commercial city rather than an industrial one, and that shapes its scrap. The Main Market is among the largest in Africa by area and volume and is run by its own traders association. Scrap here moves through trading networks rather than through works, and rolling mills in the city take the ferrous.
Scrap metal prices per kg in Onitsha
| Scrap type | Price (NGN) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | ₦13,911 / kg | ▲ +2.30% | $5.78 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | ₦1,949 / kg | ▲ +1.25% | $0.81 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | ₦8,423 / kg | ▲ +1.45% | $3.50 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | ₦1,372 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | ₦1,420 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | ₦2,166 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | ₦554 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | ₦7,990 / kg | ▲ +2.15% | $3.32 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | ₦6,715 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $2.79 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | ₦4,476 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $1.86 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | ₦1,925 / kg | ▲ +2.56% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | ₦361,001 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | ₦317,681 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | ₦433,201 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | ₦346,561 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap in Nigeria, shown here for Onitsha. Individual yards quote around this level by grade, volume and condition; the derivation from exchange benchmarks and the exchange rate (1 USD = 1,331.28 NGN) is described in the methodology section below.
Onitsha scrap price chart (NGN)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in NGN, the same series Onitsha yards price against. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
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The scrap market in Onitsha
Onitsha sits on the east bank of the Niger and is the commercial capital of Anambra State. Its Main Market is described as the largest in Africa by geographical size and volume of goods, governed by the Onitsha Market Traders Association, and most major import merchants in eastern Nigeria keep head offices inside it. That commercial density is the character of the scrap trade here too: material moves through trading relationships and market networks rather than through industrial disposal contracts.
The material itself follows from what a trading city consumes and discards: vehicle scrap, appliances, construction and demolition metal, and the residue of a large import and distribution economy. Rolling mills in Onitsha are among those recorded as taking scrap as feedstock, so ferrous has a local destination, and the river and road connections give the city reach into the wider south-east.
- State
- Anambra State
- Currency
- Nigerian naira (NGN), quoted per kilogram
- Main Market
- Described as the largest in Africa by geographical size and volume of goods
- Governance
- Onitsha Market Traders Association
Where the scrap yards are in Onitsha
- The Main Market and its surrounding trading district, where the commercial networks concentrate.
- The industrial areas where rolling capacity and larger buyers operate.
- The river and road corridors connecting Onitsha to the wider south-east.
What pays well in Onitsha
- Vehicle and appliance scrap, the steady supply of a large trading population.
- Construction and demolition ferrous, with local rolling capacity to move toward.
- Separated non-ferrous, which the trading networks handle efficiently.
Selling scrap metal in Onitsha: rules, ID and payment
No federal licence applies and no state restriction is currently reported here, but state policy is the variable to watch nationally. In a market this size, dealing through an established trader with a fixed location is worth more than a marginally better price from someone without one.
Before any sale, check the live board above, sort by grade and get quotes from two or three buyers; the best scrap price guide covers the routine and the calculator turns a weight into a figure at today's price. To judge whether a local quote is competitive, our note on telling a well-paying yard from a headline rate sets out the benchmark test.
Onitsha scrap price FAQ
What is the scrap copper price in Onitsha today?
As of the latest update, the indicative price for clean number 1 copper is about ₦13,911 per kg in NGN. Onitsha yards typically quote within a few percent of that figure either side, depending on grade, volume and the buyer; the live board above shows all fifteen grades.
What makes Onitsha a scrap market?
Commerce rather than industry. The Main Market is described as the largest in Africa by geographical size and volume of goods, and scrap moves through those trading networks rather than through industrial disposal contracts. Rolling mills in the city take the ferrous.
Who runs the Onitsha Main Market?
The Onitsha Market Traders Association, one of the most established traders' bodies on the continent. Most major import merchants in eastern Nigeria keep head offices inside the market.
Should I sell to a market trader or look for a mill?
For household and vehicle quantities, a trader with a fixed location. For real tonnage it is worth asking who supplies the local mills directly, because each additional layer between you and the furnace takes a margin.
Are Onitsha prices different from the national board?
The board on this page is the Nigeria indicative level, and Onitsha yards trade around it rather than exactly on it. Local competition, freight to the nearest consumer and the day's export demand set the spread, which is why two quotes in the same city can differ by several percent on the same morning.
Sources and methodology
The Onitsha board uses the Nigeria indicative prices: global exchange benchmarks (COMEX copper, CME aluminum and steel, NYMEX platinum and palladium, IMF monthly lead, zinc and nickel) multiplied by typical yard recovery shares, a local market factor of 0.82 and the day's exchange rate. The full method, the recovery shares and the correction policy are on our editorial policy page; local notes on this page are reviewed against published dealer information and reader corrections sent to info@scrappricetoday.com.
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Yard quotes in Onitsha vary by grade, volume, condition and buyer.
Nearby and related
Scrap metal prices in Nigeria · All countries · Catalytic converter prices