GCRF_NF119 Poverty, vulnerability and crime: What does COVID-19 mean for Nigerian street vendors?
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: University of Sussex Business School
Abstract
Since the novel coronavirus hit countries and communities around the world, the global response has included strict lockdown and social distancing measures. The Nigerian Federal Government (FG) has largely copied these measures and imposed an indefinite ban on street vending across the country. But how sustainable are these measures given their devastating effects on millions of Nigerian street vendors? Is a total ban on street vending the right approach? How are street vendors coping? Are they prepared to engage in crime, and if so, what types of criminal activity? What immediate actions can government take to support street vendors during and beyond COVID-19? Bringing together an ambitious team of UK- and Nigeria-based researchers, working in partnership with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice, our project seeks to provide urgent solutions to these critical questions.
Street vending is the foremost manifestation of Nigeria's informal economy, accounting for over 70% of the country's urban employment. The vendors offer a wide range of goods and services for sale in public spaces and earn a living either through daily monetary transactions or the exchange of services through bartering. Many battle poor hygiene, diseases, economic hardship, drug abuse, prostitution, physical and sexual abuse - all of which have worsened since the onset of COVID-19. Despite recent FG's move to ease lockdown and social distancing restrictions, the continued ban on street vending in fact threatens the lives and livelihoods of these informal workers.
Responding to the UKRI GCRF/Newton Fund call, our project will provide new insights on the most pressing socioeconomic difficulties facing the poorest and most vulnerable people in Nigeria. We will focus on how COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing measures have worsened the socioeconomic plights of Nigerian street vendors (e.g., loss of income and hunger), their coping strategies, as well as their susceptibility to crime (e.g., burglary, prostitution and illegal drugs trade). We will also explore street vendors' perspective on what government and policymakers can do to assist them urgently.
Using a qualitative research approach, our 18-month project will achieve lasting impact on government policy through in-depth interviews on street vendors' experiences and reactions to COVID-19 lockdown, and also three workshop events aimed at creating new co-produced evidence alongside government representatives, policymakers and street vendors themselves. Findings from our project will provide actionable knowledge to help improve the FG's understanding of, and response to, the COVID-19 outbreak and wider concerns around job creation, crime prevention and social protection for the poor and most vulnerable in society.
Street vending is the foremost manifestation of Nigeria's informal economy, accounting for over 70% of the country's urban employment. The vendors offer a wide range of goods and services for sale in public spaces and earn a living either through daily monetary transactions or the exchange of services through bartering. Many battle poor hygiene, diseases, economic hardship, drug abuse, prostitution, physical and sexual abuse - all of which have worsened since the onset of COVID-19. Despite recent FG's move to ease lockdown and social distancing restrictions, the continued ban on street vending in fact threatens the lives and livelihoods of these informal workers.
Responding to the UKRI GCRF/Newton Fund call, our project will provide new insights on the most pressing socioeconomic difficulties facing the poorest and most vulnerable people in Nigeria. We will focus on how COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing measures have worsened the socioeconomic plights of Nigerian street vendors (e.g., loss of income and hunger), their coping strategies, as well as their susceptibility to crime (e.g., burglary, prostitution and illegal drugs trade). We will also explore street vendors' perspective on what government and policymakers can do to assist them urgently.
Using a qualitative research approach, our 18-month project will achieve lasting impact on government policy through in-depth interviews on street vendors' experiences and reactions to COVID-19 lockdown, and also three workshop events aimed at creating new co-produced evidence alongside government representatives, policymakers and street vendors themselves. Findings from our project will provide actionable knowledge to help improve the FG's understanding of, and response to, the COVID-19 outbreak and wider concerns around job creation, crime prevention and social protection for the poor and most vulnerable in society.
| Description | This 18-month project seeks to understand how Covid-19 has impacted the lives and livelihoods of Nigerian street vendors. Our plan of work is organized in two phases. Phase 1, currently underway, involves sixty in-depth interviews with men and women street vendors trading across different locations in Abuja, the administrative capital of Nigeria. Phase 2, commencing June 2021, involves a series of policy workshops aimed at improving government's response to Covid-19 and wider issues around job creation, crime prevention and social protection for the poorest and most vulnerable in society. Our preliminary results from Phase 1 are summarized below, covering three main themes: Impact of Covid-19 restrictions • The majority of street vendors have experienced a decline in revenue due to poor sales and trading. Most of them have found it difficult to feed their families, pay their bills and meet up with day-to-day living. This situation is worsened by inadequate social welfare or palliative assistance from the FG and other government institutions. • Covid-19 restrictions have led to spoilage or wastage in large amounts of fruits and vegetables, which street vendors had hoped to sell. Because adherence to Covid-19 lockdown was enforced in multiple locations across Abuja, street vendors felt deprived of their daily income and the means to sustain both themselves and their families. • Street vendors identified other important challenges regarding their physical and mental health, well-being, and sense of belonging to a community. Their family lives were badly affected too. While some of them reported feeling depressed, frustrated and angry on a daily basis, others experienced frequent and more intense conflict with their friends, relatives, and spouses. Coping strategies • Religion and spirituality played an important role as a coping strategy. Many prayed more frequently and showed more kindness towards others. Having faith in God was really important, so also was keeping a positive mindset or hoping that things would get better before they got worse. In short: their spiritual beliefs gave them a greater sense of purpose in life. • Some vendors employed alternative trading methods to avoid Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. For example, they sold their goods at night, hid from law enforcement, and moved trading activities to other remote or secluded locations. These behaviors demonstrate vendors' strong sense of perseverance, tenacity and adaptiveness. • Other coping strategies include accessing free food from local charities, replacing traditional meals with cheaper fruits and vegetables, eating once per day, spending less money on personal hygiene, borrowing from friends and relatives, withdrawing their children from school, selling personal belongings, and begging on the streets. Susceptibility to crime • Most street vendors were victims of criminal activities such as armed robbery, mugging, stealing and burglary. Some, particularly the female street vendors, reported incidences of domestic violence, harassment and aggression. The pandemic forced them to utilize risky modes of transportation, remain crime-prone environments, or stay very close to potential offenders. • When asked whether they would engage in crime, most street vendors said no. However, some acknowledged being cajoled to participate in bribery, illegal drugs trade, prostitution, and sales of contraband or fake goods. Others identified economic deprivation, peer pressure, and survival instincts as the most important contributing factors for crime. |
| Exploitation Route | This project is directly and primarily relevant to Nigeria's informal sector, which accounts for around 65 percent of the country's economic activity and nearly 80 percent of the working population. By exploring street vendors' lived experiences during Covid-19, we contribute towards progress in the United Nations' vision to eradicate extreme poverty, end hunger, and reduce inequalities. We also contribute to policy debates around 'the New Urban Agenda', part of the United Nations' vision to promote better governance and supportive urban environments where informal workers can earn a good living for themselves. Our project will achieve lasting impact on social policy and practice by working in close partnership with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice. The Ministry's mission is to ensure justice for all persons, particularly the poor and vulnerable in society. The Ministry sees our project as reflecting this mission and addressing an important gap in ongoing criminal justice reforms (notably: 'Decriminalization of Petty Offences') aimed at reducing legal punishments for street vending and other minor offenses committed by poor and vulnerable Nigerians. Our research will contribute to these reforms and provide actionable insights on how to move street vendors forward in society. Our research is interdisciplinary in nature, cutting across diverse social science disciplines such as management, law studies, criminology, sociology, social policy, and urban development. Given the timeliness of our research objectives, we are preparing our first set of high-impact papers for submission to top academic journals (e.g., Human Relations). Shorter versions of these papers will be sent to practitioner-focused outlets such as the Financial Times and LSE Business Review, where members of the project team have longstanding professional relationships. One of our papers is to be presented at the July 2021 conference of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE). We anticipate an invitation to present our work at the August 2021 Work, Employment and Society conference of the British Sociological Association. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | Partnership with the Nigerian justice sector |
| Organisation | Government of Nigeria |
| Department | Federal Ministry of Justice |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Our project will achieve lasting impact on policy and practice by working in close partnership with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice. The Ministry's mission is to ensure justice for all persons, particularly the poor and vulnerable in society. The Ministry sees our project as reflecting this mission and addressing an important gap in ongoing criminal justice reforms (notably: 'Decriminalization of Petty Offences'). As key project partners, the Ministry will help in achieving project objectives, discussing mechanisms for broader engagement with other stakeholders, and communicating our policy recommendations to the FG. To this end, three senior Ministry officials are co-investigators on the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | At the end of the project, senior officials from the Ministry will assist in creating a policy report, which will be submitted to the Attorney General of the Federation (i.e., Minister of Justice) and to directors of relevant government departments (e.g., National Human Rights Commission and COVID-19 Presidential Task Force). These groups will benefit from a clear set of evidence-based policy recommendations on how to improve street vendors' plights during and beyond COVID-19. Street vendors themselves will benefit from co-producing the policy report. |
| Impact | Although our project is still active, we have developed a strategy to promote our research (via the wider media) and translate our findings into real benefits for businesses and the general public. This strategy will materialize before the next round of ResearchFish reporting. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Steering group meeting on reform Initiatives in the Nigerian justice sector |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | At this meeting, the steering group exchanged ideas and shared expertise on how to collectively reinforce ongoing criminal justice reforms, particularly those affecting the poorest and most vulnerable in society. We presented the preliminary findings from Phase 1 of our project, highlighting the need for improved government policy on Covid-19 and wider issues around poverty, crime prevention, social injustice, and financial insecurity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Three-day national summit of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion of Nigerian Correctional Service |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Virtual three-day national summit of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion of Nigerian Correctional Service. The event was attended by relevant stakeholders from Nigeria's justice sector and the theme was "Strategizing for Effective Correctional System Reform and Decongestion". The objectives were to evaluate strategies for sustainable decongestion of Nigerian correctional centers, appraise ongoing initiatives and achievements of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice, learn about best practices in correctional reforms and other emerging issues/trends, and discuss issues around children in correctional centers in Nigeria. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Virtual Interactive Session with Attorneys General and Heads of Courts across Nigeria |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The virtual meeting was organized by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (Nigeria) to interact with the Heads of Courts of the 36 states of the Federation and other critical stakeholders from the justice sector. The goal was to articulate a holistic response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on ongoing justice reforms. The meeting also offered the opportunity for stakeholders in the sector to share their perspectives on the proposed reforms of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the Country. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |