Women in Informal Cross-border Trading along Nigeria and Benin Republic Border: Challenges and Coping Strategies

George, T. O. and Ozoya, M. I. and Amoo, Emmanuel O. (2017) Women in Informal Cross-border Trading along Nigeria and Benin Republic Border: Challenges and Coping Strategies. International Journal of Applied Business and Economic Research, 15 (19). pp. 155-163. ISSN 0972-7302

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Abstract

The involvement of women in informal cross-border trading has become increasingly popular in recent time. Historically, women are acknowledged as active participants in the social, economic and political development of their respective societies. Earnings accruable from informal cross-border trading of women contributes to gross domestic purse through tax on importation of goods, custom excise duties and other charges that are sources of revenue to the government. As major players in the informal sector, women contribute maximally to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Although, men and women are engaged in cross-border trading, the benefits and the challenges involved are based on gender (GENTA, 2001). Pathetically, there is dearth of data on women in cross-border trade (WICBT) as there in no known women migration databank for sub-Saharan Africa. It is against this premise that this study investigated the specific challenges confronting women in informal cross-border trading in Nigeria; the involvement of government officials and relevant agencies in the challenges; and the coping strategies devised by women to overcome the challenges. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted in data collection. The quantitative data involved the use of a self-designed structured questionnaire to elicit data from 60 women involved in Cross Border Trading (CBT). The snowball method of data collection was adopted in selecting the women. Qualitative data were collected with the use of in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. Data analysis consisted of the use of bi-viriate and bivariate statistical methods for quantitative data, while content analysis was adopted in the analysis of qualitative data. Findings showed that the main challenge faced by the women was seizure of goods by custom officers. It was discovered that the main coping strategies adopted by the women was to quit the trade. Among others, it was recommended that women should be encouraged in CBT through public enlightenment programmes that will enable them know about contraband goods and therefore be able avoid trading in them.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Cross-border trading, women, migration, coping strategies
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions:	Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Mrs Hannah Akinwumi
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2018 10:00
Last Modified:	26 Mar 2018 10:00
URI:	http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/10502

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