Working Lives

The Lagos Dollar Mallam Who Used to Be a Porter at Kano Airport

The Dealer who is Also into Serious Farming in Kano

For this Kano-born currency trader, a good life after Lagos hustling is certain for him. He tells us about his farming business, his house, and how he is sending his kids to one of the best schools in Kano, to change the narrative about the Hausa people when it comes to education.

 

Where are you from?

I am from Kano state.

When did you start trading currency?

I started in 2010. I was trading at Kano State airport when my friend told me about the market in Lagos. So I decided to move down here.

How did you get into the trade?

No one got me into the trade. Growing up in Kano was an eye-opener for me. We used to go to the airport to hustle and help travelers carry their luggage to the cab and get small change.

I used to see people changing currencies for foreigners, and I was curious about how the whole trade works, so I tried mingling with them. I became familiar with it, and that was how it all started.

I did the business for a year in Kano before one of my friends told me to come to Lagos and expand my business. I listened to him, and I moved to Lagos. I stayed with him for two years in Agege. We always wake up as early as 5 a.m. to go to the airport because of the early morning flights. We sell naira in exchange for dollar to passengers who don’t have local currency at the airport to board a cab and do other few things.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Banker Who Encountered a Chinese Man with Ekiti Accent

Has selling currency made you a rich man?

Fair enough. I have been able to do certain things that I am very sure I wouldn’t have been able to do if I didn’t enter this line of business.

I have a house of my own in Kano. This is such a big deal for me, as I have something at home to fall back on anytime. I also have a farm in Kano. I used the profit from the business to finance the farm. I plant yam, tomatoes, and pineapple. I plan to expand the farm this year by the grace of God. I am thinking of growing rice now that the agricultural sector is focusing on rice farmers.

This will boost my income and help me cater for my kids, who are in good private schools in Kano. Most people in Lagos feel Hausa people are illiterates, and so will their kids also turn out. That is a big misunderstanding.

Who are your customers?

Mainly travelers. I focus on the airports alone, and this helps me cut down the cost of renting a shop in Lagos. I plan to get a place of mine soon though. Over the years, I have been able to develop a base of loyal customers. These people are regular travelers that go for business meetings, holidays, and conferences. They buy foreign currencies from me.

Do you have more customers now that the naira is falling?

Not really. The airport is my base, so I mainly deal with travelers. Coronavirus has slowed down businesses. My customers can’t travel, which means there is no business for me. I just pray the pandemic end soon so things can be back to normal.

But, of course, it’s not completely dry. Some customers still buy foreign currency, and my friend also sends some of their customers to me.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Babaringa Tailor Who Burnt Dubai Fabric

What do you do on a typical day when you get to work?

I just hang around and wait for arrivals to come in. That’s just about all. There are people at the airport who want to change currency. There is no day I come out to work and I won’t change $1000 – $2000 at least. That’s how good it is over here.

How does this change when Nigerians are demanding for more foreign currency?

For the fact that the airport is closed for international flights, most of the currencies I change these days are referrals from my friends. Everyone is trying to play safe, changing naira to dollars, so I have to run around and get more dollars. Apart from that, nothing changed.

 

Read the fourth story in our Dollar Mallams of Ikeja series tomorrow, “The Dealer Who Has Saved Enough to Marry and Give His Family the Best”.

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