One Round Now N500 – Commercial S*x Workers Lament

The financial crisis caused by the elimination of gasoline subsidies has severely impacted commercial s*x workers in Kano State, who have been complaining about poor consumer patronage.

They expressed their anguish while fielding queries from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, August 27 in the Sabon Gari region of the state’s Fagge Local Government area.

The historic commercial city’s sex workers, who used to go home with their pockets full, are now persuading consumers to do “business” with them at ridiculously low prices.

Ms. Mercy Benjamin told NAN that formerly, one round of “short time” service could be settled for N5,000 in one hour, but the biting impacts of fuel subsidy removal had driven clients away.

According to Benjamin, one round of s*x now costs between N500 and N700 for the same services.

“Things are not really going well with this business for now because of the present economic challenges we are facing,” she said.

Another commercial s*x worker who identified herself as Jennifer, told NAN that it is no longer business as usual for them, saying “My brother, business is no longer moving as it used to be.

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“Things have become so hard that if you see more than three customers in one day, you will thank God. Customers are hard to come by, and when they come, the offer is nothing to write home about.

“In this very particular room, I pay N5,000 every day; and I must confess to you that I owe the management three days in debt now because of low patronage

“Before fuel subsidy removal, we were enjoying high patronage with good prices. These days, I used to attend to seven to 10 customers every day with good prices ranging between N5,000 and N10,000 for short-term services.

“This is apart from other incentives like good food, drinks, chicken, Isi-ewu and other goodies that customers provide of their own volition.”

“Unlike now when customers hardly come to hang out in the evening, we used to have customers on daybreak ready to offer well above N20,000 and also take care of your accommodation, food and drinks. This is really hard times for us,” she said.

Jennifer went on to say that the majority of her coworkers who were unable to pay for their lodgings had returned home with penury regrets.

“Some of them left without their property as the hotel management seized their clothes and electronics because of the money they owed. We that are still here are surviving through the grace of God,” she explained.

Ms Helen Ediga of Onitsha Road, recounting her current experience as a result of the cash shortage, stated that she is willing to abandon the company if provided an alternate source of income.

Ediga, who only agreed to speak to talk after being offered a token of N1,500 and a bottle of Maltina to cover her time, said: “Sir, I am not happy being into this kind of business. It is the hardship that led me into it. I am a single mother with three children. I am the only one that takes care of them.

“My man left us in Kano and relocated to Abuja where he is currently staying with another woman. I come out every evening to hassle so that I can put food on the table for my three children and possibly train them.

“Since the fuel subsidy removal, we have been suffering. In most cases, I will spend the whole day without anyone asking me ‘How are you’. It has been a very bitter experience. If I have other means of livelihood, I will definitely quit this business!,” Ediga said.

According to NAN, the commercial s*x workers who generally stand around Enugu Road, Aba Road, Onitsha Road, and Abbedie Street, among other hotspots within Sabon Gari, have been affected the worst by the circumstances, with most of them complaining of wasting all day, looking for customers with little result.

According to the findings, nightclubs, fun centres, and beer bars today have very low patronage since locals rarely go out in the evening for leisure or to have a “good time” due to the cash shortage.