Socio-Economic Predictors of Street Traders and Buyers’ Coping Mechanisms with Lagos State Street Trading Law, 2003 (amended 2017)

Abstract

This study investigates the social factors responsible for street traders and buyers’ disobedience to the Lagos State Street Traders and Illegal Market Law, 2003 (as amended 2017) despite the imposition of N90,000 and a jail term of 6 months on offenders. The study adopted a mixed method of social research using a total sample of 894 traders and 300 buyers surveyed across the three Senatorial Districts of Lagos (Lagos Central, Lagos West and Lagos East). The study population was randomly selected using multistage sampling technique. It also adopted Key informant interview, in-depth interview with participant observation method to explore the attitudes and narratives of the street traders and buyers about the enforcement of the law. Data obtained from the study using correlation and regression analytical techniques indicated that poverty (P=0.000), unemployment (P=0.008), household welfare (P=0.020), need to further education (P=0.035), need to rent a shop (P=0.037) and remittance (P=0.000) were key predictors of street traders’ disobedience of the street trading law. The study also found that educated buyers disobeyed the law more than those with little or no education. It unveiled that, deviance by traders were prominent in the daytime and in urban centres than in the rural areas and night periods. Based on the findings, the article suggests a review of the street law in a way that accommodates the diverse interests in the informal sector