Lagos: Mobile phone dealers and other stakeholders on Lagos Island have called for youth empowerment and stricter street trading regulations to curb business disruptions and improve security around Computer Village. The stakeholders, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), urged government authorities to restore order and create sustainable economic opportunities for young people.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, they expressed optimism that effective empowerment programmes would reduce poverty, curb crime, and improve the business environment. Mr. Jude Ugwah, Chairman of the Association of GSM Dealers, Saka Tinubu axis of Lagos, said unemployment was largely responsible for the growing number of youths operating as informal traders on major streets around the business hub. Ugwah mentioned that the association had put internal security mechanisms in place to curb criminal activities. He highlighted the collaboration with security agencies and local vigilante groups to monitor activities within the district.
Ugwah further explained that many youths involved in street trading are graduates from various ethnic backgrounds who act as middlemen, sourcing phones and gadgets from shops and reselling them to customers at negotiated prices. He warned that rising unemployment could expose youths to criminal activities and political manipulation. He urged governments at all levels to prioritize skill acquisition, trainee stipends, and industrial development.
However, Mr. Olugeshin Shonibare, Branch Manager of Konga Retail Store on Saka Tinubu Street, expressed concerns about the impact of street traders on legitimate businesses. Shonibare noted that the traders compete directly with registered stores without paying rent or statutory fees, affecting sales and intimidating customers.
Shonibare also raised concerns about theft, alleging that some traders linger in ungated areas after business hours, leading to morning theft discoveries. A company managing director, who spoke on condition of anonymity, called for sustained government support to relocate street dwellers and other social miscreants from business districts on Victoria Island. He expressed concern over the security risks and environmental nuisance posed by the growing number of homeless persons sleeping on the streets at night.
The managing director appealed to the government to relocate street dwellers from areas including Kasunmu Ekemode and Saka Tinubu Streets, as well as Akin Adesola, Bishop Oluwole, and Ologun Agbaje Streets. He noted the failure of previous efforts to remove street dwellers due to a lack of sustained support and called for a comprehensive approach combining social housing, vocational training, and structured employment opportunities. He emphasized the need for meaningful work opportunities to prevent youths from becoming a menace to the environment.