Nigeria’s rural markets are periodic (Oluwabamide, 2007). Usually market days are rotated among cluster of villages. The Yoruba operate on 5-day cycles. Ibo rural markets are on a 4-day or multiple of 4-day cycle.
The cycling serves a dual purpose. According to Ayittey (1991), this is an adaptation to a situation where the volumes of goods to be exchanged are too small to carry out on a daily basis.
It also promotes intercourse between villages and further serves to stabilize prices in neighbouring
markets and redistribute supplies among them.