Internal Migration Among the Women and Street Trading Activity: A Poverty Elevation or Reduction Strategy?

A major ingredient for unabated increase in street trading activities within urban centers of developing countries has been the need to migrate from the harsh effects of poverty from the poor households or family and rural communities.  Ironically, the activity is shroud with myriads of challenges and robust arguments on financial benefits or welfare improvement accruing from the activity are very rare.  This study therefore questions the role of urban street trading in welfare improvement and probes into its possibility of aggravating the burden of poverty among women who are the most vulnerable.  Data was extracted from a pan-Nigeria street trading survey funded by Covenant University Centre for Research and Development (CUCERD), Nigeria. The study locations consist of randomly selected Central Business Districts (CBDs) in three major cities across three geopolitical zones in Nigeria.  Data were analyzed using univariate and binary logistic regression analysis.  The result indicated that the average daily needs of a migrant woman is far above daily income and that higher education is not significantly related to higher income among the migrant women (p-value ≤ 5%).  A daily income level above N2500 would likely enhance a positive change  in welfare status of an average woman street trader. the study concludes that women migration and street trading could be escaape routes from unemployment but not an escape from poverty among the women.  alternative income yielding jobs are recommended for women especally in urban centers.