How Itinerant Traders Survive At Yaba Market




Yaba market is known to be one of the most popular markets in Lagos. So famous it is that people from parts of the country come there to buy and sell.

The market has different sections, which makes for easy location of particular areas by customers.

The market serves thousands of traders, and despite the demolition of a section of it some two years ago, traders still make brisk business in the area.

Despite the constraints of space, some of the traders have devised different means to earn a living.

P.M.NEWS BusinessWeek investigations revealed that before the stalls near the railway were demolished, some of the traders didn't have shops and now with many more shop-less, their hustling for customers has even increased. Some of the itinerary traders revealed that they arrange with shop owners so they can at least eke out a living.


oYaba Market

All they do is wait outside and scout for customers and take them to the shop where they get their own cut out of what has been sold.

One of the itinerary traders, Chinedu Uzo, said that he has been in Yaba for more than 10 years and it has never really bothered him to get a shop because he is making his good money on the street.

"I have been in this market for 10 years and I no get my own shop. Wetin I dey do be say, I go dey outside find customer who I go carry go one shop, agree with the shop owner and I sell, collect my money and hustle on," said Uzo.

He, however, said it pains him that the market was demolished as it has affected the strategies and some other things they do to make money.

Another trader and shop owner, Emeka Anyanwu said because of the unity that exists among the traders, it is easy for everybody to make money in a way no trader is affected negatively. "Once you are not greedy, you will make some money; maybe not what you want but something that can sustain you" said Anyanwu.

Another interesting thing about Yaba market is the division of labour traders employ in earning money. This is a means being devised by some of the traders, especially the hairdressers. This is done through agreement.

Some of the hairdressers have different materials and because the space allocated to them is not big enough, one person cannot have all the necessary equipment.

One of the hair beauticians, Shikemi Alowonle said that is the way majority of them survive and things have been fine.

"If a customer comes to make her hair, I can retouch for her and tell my neighbour to make the hair or dry it for me. If she is going to pay N300, I will give her N100, having done the most stressful part of the work," explained Alowonle.

"And if this is not the case, it is possible we jointly woo a customer and to avoid any issue, all I will do is to share the work and collect what it entitled to me. That's the way it goes".

Tochuwkwu Eze, an itinerary trader, however, said that if there is anyone that doesn't want to cooperate, it simply means he won't survive in the market.

"We are all struggling to survive, after all, we won't go and steal, and we can't put too much blame on the Lagos State Government because it is only trying to restore sanity to Lagos," said Eze.

--Motunrayo Idris