Christian Ethics and Business Practices Among Market Traders in Onitsha, Anambra State

Onitsha in Anambra State hosts one of Nigeria's largest commercial markets, and the majority of traders identify as Christians. The extent to which Christian ethical teaching shapes business practices including honesty, fair pricing, and treatment of workers is an important but understudied question. This study examines the relationship between Christian ethical commitment and business practices among market traders in Onitsha Main Market. A descriptive correlational design was adopted, with questionnaires administered to 200 Christian traders from diverse denominational backgrounds. Business ethics was assessed across four dimensions: price honesty, product quality representation, labour treatment, and charitable contribution to community. Christian ethical commitment was measured through church attendance frequency, Bible reading habits, and self-reported application of faith to work decisions. Results indicate a significant positive correlation between strong Christian ethical commitment and honest business practices (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). However, competitive market pressure moderates this relationship, with traders reporting that maintaining ethical standards while remaining competitive is a significant challenge. Church teaching on business ethics is rated as insufficient by 63 percent of respondents. The study concludes that Christian business ethics in Onitsha is personally motivated but institutionally undersupported by church teaching. It recommends that South East Nigerian churches develop practical business ethics curricula grounded in biblical principles, integrated with vocational discipleship programmes for traders. Keywords: Christian ethics, business practices, market traders, Onitsha, South East Nigeria