Amid hardship, two Kano women, Halima Bello and Elizabeth Odeh, have recounted how their roadside akara (bean cakes) business is thriving. The women who operate at different times of the day and at different location within the state metropolis have turned the humble bean cakes business into a reliable source of livelihood for their families.
Bello, 46, and a mother of five, said she started the business eight years ago, and she sells her Akara in the mornings around Brigade, “kwanar kifi”. According to her, she starts frying by 6:30AM and closes around 9:30AM, and is patronized by students, site workers and families.
Bello who now has two young assistants said she makes an average of 50,000 naira daily, and saves part of it to support her children’s education. She said she has two of her children in school and also bought a piece of land with proceeds from the business.
On the other hand, Odeh, 52, operates in the evening at Jaba area of the state. She said she switched to Akara business after losing her job four years ago. According to her, she starts by 6PM and closes by 9PM, and is patronized by Civil servants, business people closing from work and single men and women.
Odeh noted that though the price of commodities had doubled, she manages cost by buying in bulk and maintaining quality. She said she makes about 25,000 to 30,000 naira daily, from which she assists her husband with family bills.
Both women appealed to government and NGOs to support small scale food vendors with soft loans and training to grow their businesses. Their stories reflect how determination and consistency can turn a roadside trade into a sustainable and reliable business.
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