Nigeria’s informal markets play a central role in providing employment for women, but they remain largely unregulated, leaving female workers vulnerable to gender-specific forms of exploitation. This study investigates the lived experiences of female marketers in Lagos trade fair international market, one of west Africa's largest informal markets. After five months of fieldwork, in-depth interviews with 20 female marketers, 5 male supervisors, and participant observation, this study examines how precarious conditions and gendered power relations shape women’s economic realities. Findings reveal persistent sexual harassment, manipulation within the informal credit system, and wage insecurity which is driven by the absence of proper employment contracts. Participants described a range of coping strategies, including withholding untracked payments, modifying sales records, and redirecting customers to personal outlets. These coping strategies illustrates both the limitations imposed by the patriarchal market systems and the adaptive strategies women employ to live through them. While the informal economy in Nigeria has been widely studied, limited attention has been given to localized gendered dynamics within specific market spaces. Analyzed with both feminist conflict theory and symbolic interactionism, this study highlights how established gender hierarchies contribute to economic insecurity, while also creating space for informal acts of resistance and agency. The findings emphasize the need for enforceable labor protections, access to support services, and more equitable credit systems to reduce gendered exploitation in informal economic settings.
Agu Maryann Anurika (Wed,) studied this question.
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