THE INFORMAL COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN LAGOS ISLAND, LAGOS, NIGERIA: AN ASSESSMENT

Abstract

The study examined the issue of informal sector activities in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria.

The survey was carried out using stratified random sampling to ensure a fair representation of the population on each selected streets. A sample size of 177 was selected using 10% of all informal sector activities on selected streets in the study area. Hence, 177 questionnaires were administered to respondents in the study area from which 152 questionnaires were recovered and used for analysis. The study reveals that there is a relationship between employment in the informal sector and formal sector unemployment, illiteracy, environmental degradation and the rampant violation of planning regulations. Recommendations of this study among others include; the need to embark on baseline studies to obtain vital information on informal sector activities with the view of formulating policies and programmes that will enhance the effectiveness of both the informal sector and planning administration, provision of infrastructure such as markets and designated open spaces to enhance and promote the activities of the sector, organizing informal sector workers into co-operative societies through which they could be reached easily for support and assistance.