At Karmo Market in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, the sale of second-hand clothing and footwear continues to thrive, providing a livelihood for hundreds of traders and offering low-income consumers cheaper clothing options than new items. Several traders interviewed said the business not only covers daily expenses, but some have also used it to pay rent, send their children to school, buy land, and build houses.

Key Points

  • Trader Destiny Obinna started seven years ago with 12,000 naira and has now acquired three plots of land and invested about 25 million naira in building a house.
  • Trader Chinedu Ihunweze has been selling second-hand footwear for 15 to 20 years and has traveled to Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso to source goods; a pair of shoes from Togo sells for about 5,000 naira, while new shoes average about 10,000 to 15,000 naira.
  • The Federal Capital Territory Administration plans to clear informal trading facilities along the Karmo-Deidei corridor and relocate traders to the Karmo District Market, which opened in February 2025. Community leaders and traders are calling for a suspension of the demolition and relocation.

From Second-Hand Clothing to Property: Some Have Built Houses

Destiny Obinna's starting point was quite difficult. When she graduated from university, she had a job paying about 50,000 naira a month, but after transportation and other expenses, little was left. After marriage and pregnancy, with her husband's limited resources, financial pressure intensified. So she turned to selling second-hand clothing, initially retailing single items around Deidei, Kubwa, and the NNPC junction, sometimes selling only one dress a day.

"If it doesn't sell today, sell it tomorrow." That's how she described her persistence. The business gradually shifted from single-item retail to wholesale by the bale, and now she opens several bales a week. However, rising transport costs, carrier delays, weather changes, and fluctuating foot traffic all affect operations, and the rainy season especially drives customers away. Still, she describes the business as a blessing.

In the same market, Gloria Asowga has been trading second-hand footwear for over 23 years. She originally ran a hairdressing business, but a friend introduced her to selling second-hand shoes. She started small and later traveled to Togo herself to purchase goods and bring them back to Nigeria for sale. She says the business has helped her pay rent and support her children's education, but transport and sourcing from abroad are major challenges—even if purchase prices are low, transport and other costs significantly drive up the total cost, and restrictions on cross-border goods movement are also a headache. She encourages young people to stay resilient: "Keep trying, work hard, don't give up."

Low Prices Are the Core Competitiveness, Customs Seizures a Hidden Worry

Chinedu Ihunweze has been in the business for 15 to 20 years, regularly traveling to Togo, the Republic of Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso to source goods. In his view, the key reason Nigerians favor second-hand shoes is price: shoes from Togo sell for about 5,000 naira, while new shoes average between 10,000 and 15,000 naira. "The people who come to buy our goods are also Nigerians, and not all of them can afford expensive shoes," he said.

But risks exist too. Ihunweze mentioned that his goods have been seized by customs two or three times, one of the main difficulties traders face. He believes second-hand goods provide affordable clothing for Nigerians who cannot afford new items and calls on the government to increase support for the industry, including making it easier for traders to access goods while also supporting local manufacturers.

Emmanuel Abel, who entered the trade seven years ago, said he turned to second-hand clothing after trying other ventures without success. The business is stressful, but it gives him income and a way to meet demand. He noted that as goods prices keep rising, customers are sometimes hard to satisfy, and limited purchasing power affects their willingness to patronize. He advises young people to be smart, far-sighted, and hardworking, and hopes the government will help stabilize operating costs.

Relocation Plan Remains Uncertain

Traders now face another layer of uncertainty. The Federal Capital Territory Administration plans to clear informal trading facilities in the area to ease congestion along the Karmo-Deidei corridor and relocate traders to the Karmo District Market. This has drawn opposition from some community leaders and traders, who fear the relocation will disrupt businesses and livelihoods built over many years.

Chief Umar Garni Sarkin Karmo, village head of Karmo Sabo, and Alhaji Yunusa Ashama Karmo, district head of Karmo Sabo, have recently called on Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike to suspend the planned demolition and relocation of the existing market. They argue that the market has existed for decades, and moving it out of the traditional area could bring social and economic consequences for residents.

Public information shows that the Karmo District Market was inaugurated in February 2025 by the Federal Capital Territory Minister under a public-private partnership involving Rural Homes Limited and Abuja Investment Company Limited. The market covers about 9.9 hectares, has more than 2,500 shops, features farmers' sections, livestock sections, and textile sections, and is equipped with cold storage, police facilities, a clinic, and fire services.

For traders, the real question is whether they can afford to operate in the new market and whether they can retain the customers they have built up over the years. Currently, the second-hand clothing trade continues to provide an important source of affordable clothing for Abuja residents and allows many traders who started small to support their families and even acquire property.

For the second-hand clothing industry, the case of Karmo Market in Abuja shows one side of Africa's domestic second-hand clothing market: cross-border sourcing chains (Togo, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso) and local retail networks support each other, price advantage is the core of demand, and border clearance, customs seizures, transport costs, and urban renewal relocation constitute the main operational risks for this business model.

Source: Second-hand clothes’ dealers make brisk business in Abuja · Originally published on 2026-10-08