NIGERIA-CAR BOOT HAWKERS Abuja's car-boot sellers defy city authorities, do booming business

Record ID: 146628

  • Title: NIGERIA-CAR BOOT HAWKERS Abuja's car-boot sellers defy city authorities, do booming business
  • Date: 21st July 2015
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ABUJA SKY LINE/ BUILDINGS AND ROADS VARIOUS STREET SCENE/ PEOPLE WALKING/ STREET VENDORS VARIOUS OF CAR BOOT HAWKERS VARIOUS OF WOMEN LOOKING AT SHOES ON SALE VARIOUS OF JEWELLERY ON SALE VARIOUS OF TRADER ARRANGING PRODUCTS IN HER CAR BOOT (SOUNDBITE) (English) VERA IDOKO, HAWKER SAYING: "We prefer selling here because let me j
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAC6657QSX8DSJX251A2VNYXFO3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The center of Nigeria's capital, Abuja is home to some of the most expensive real estate in Africa. Built mostly in the 80's, the city became the country's administrative hub in 1991, replacing the former capital Lagos - a sprawling metropolis that struggled under the pressure of an exploding population, crime and ethnic divisions.
    The aim of Abuja was to create an accessible city in the centre of the country that could be the seat of government.
    Buildings without planning permission were destroyed and villages bulldozed to make way for huge government office blocks and luxury hotels on a grid of four-lane highways.
    But Abuja's grandeur is a world away from most Nigerian lives in the country of over 170 million people.
    It is also a difficult place for small businesses to thrive because rent is unaffordable for many.
    Some hawkers have set up shop out of their cars - a trend which started almost 10 years ago and has gradually gained popularity as a way to avoid high rental costs.
    "We prefer selling here because let me just say there is no source of income for paying for a shop right now so that is why we decided to stay here and sell for sometime," said Vera Idoko, a hawker selling skin care products.
    But these business owners are breaking the law.
    Under the Abuja Environmental Protection Board act of 1997, any form of business within unauthorised premises is prohibited, including hawking, peddling and boot selling.
    The act, however, is considered weak with a maximum fine of 5,000 naira (25 US dollars) for an individual offender, it is not much of a deterrent compared to monthly rent amounting to thousands of dollars a year.
    The mobile hawkers say moving around is an advantage because they can meet their customers at their point of need.
    "Yes they do patronise me because sometimes if they stop us from selling around the area we are selling we will move around to another area that is why we have the light mobile shop business," said Pureheart Chukwu sells packaged fish from his car.
    "They are closer to where I work. Most of the time as a working class person it might not be too easy for me to go to the market except maybe on weekends and things like that so we see these people as easily accessible and you know, because of the proximity we use the advantage to patronise them," said Emmanuel Soti, a civil servant.
    Wuse, the city's main market is a collection of hundreds of stalls rented out by the government as a way to accommodate small traders selling everything from food, to clothes, electronics and furniture.
    The rent here can go up to 7000 US dollars a year, required in advance and paid in full. Malls and shops in buildings can cost more than twice that amount.
    City authorities say designated markets provide the amenities and security in line with Abuja's masterplan.
    "They should find a place that is authorized by law to do their businesses because government has provided avenues we have plazas, we have markets which are properly managed and secure. Like a market like Wuse now is well coordinated, the traders are enjoying business and people that are coming to do business with them are enjoying as you can see people moving, there is security at the gate, bomb detector, CCTV, everything, which means all about you is secure," said facility manager, at Wuse, Ayuba Bitrus Chagwa.
    Abuja Environmental Protection Board's head of information Joe Ukairo says despite efforts to regulate street trade it has been a challenge for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
    "We've quite some challenge you know, sustainably you know, controlling any form of hawking, street trading but we are not deterred. We've done quite a lot, an average of a 180 hawkers arrested on daily basis and they are prosecuted via the FCT judiciary, the mobile court to be precise," Ukairo said.
    Traders are calling on the government to step in and control spiralling rental costs in order to support small businesses. Some critics argue that no matter how low real estate costs get, hawkers are not going to disappear but they remain an important part of the economy and should be accommodated.
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