#StreetsOfLagos: A Street Tailor Reveals How Much He Makes Monthly

Meet Abubakar Abdullahi, all the way from Kebbi State hustling as a 'Street Tailor' in Lagos.

The 28-year-old Nigerian is from Argungu Local Government Area in Kebbi State and has been working in Lagos as a street tailor for almost a year.

Street Tailoring, popularly referred to as "Ejika ni shop" by Yorubas and "Mai Giara" by the Hausas, involves moving round on foot to source for people who have emergency clothing repair needs.

A 'Street Tailor' moves around with a sewing machine, some zips, buttons and threads mounted on a shoulder. One major difference between a street tailor and a regular tailor is the doorstep service a street tailor offers. A street tailor majorly repairs/mends outfits.

This vocation is mostly dominated by men largely because of the stress involved in moving around with a heavy equipment like a sewing machine.

Abdullahi, a non-english speaker who spoke with an Allnews Media Correspondent through an interpreter in Hausa Language, said that his job is helping him to meet his needs despite the challenge of having to move around with a heavy equipment.

"I make between N3,000 and N4,000 daily. which is an average of N90,000 a month.

"I have a wife and two children in Kebbi State whom I send money to on a monthly basis," he said.

According to the tailor, he only spent about N25,000 to start up his business. When he was asked how he leant how to sew, he said his brother in Kebbi taught him.

"I have been sewing for three years now. I lived in Abuja for two years. I was a kolanut hawker for one year and a tailor for another year," Abdullahi said. "I moved to Lagos last year."

The 28-year-old revealed to AllNews that he is a rice farmer in Kebbi State and would be travelling home during the next planting season.

"I have come to Lagos to work for the 'off planting season'," he said.

Abdullahi was asked about the major difference between Lagos and Kebbi. He stated that living in Kebbi is a lot cheaper than Lagos.

"But living in Lagos is more interesting and finacially rewarding," he added swiftly.

Abubakar Abdullahi currently lives at the Abattior located in Agege, Lagos State and enjoys the support of the association of his "Townsmen" in Lagos.

Kebbi State is located in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The State is mainly populated by Hausa-speaking folks, with some members of Fulani, Lelna, Bussawa, Dukawa, Dakarkari, Kambari, Gungawa and Kamuku ethnic communities.

The distance between Kebbi State and Lagos is about 864.9km by road, which translates to a two-day road trip. 

Kebbi State is one of the major producers of rice in Nigeria.