Harmattan: Kano second hand cardigan sellers hopeful despite customs clampdown

As the harmattan gradually sets in, sellers of fairly used clothes mostly cardigans in the popular Kofar Wambai Market in Kano city have expressed optimism that the season will come with huge returns as residents prepare for the cold weather.

They, however, lamented that the goods might cost more as a result of the border closure, restriction on importation and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) clampdown on importers.

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Speaking to Chronicle, one of the sellers of the clothes in the market, Sagir Dauda, said though there used to be an annual increase in the prices, the spike this year was as a result of the way operatives of the NCS intensified seizure of their wares and tagging them as contraband.

He said the fairly used clothes merchants were left with no option than to hike their prices in order to make up for what was  seized.

He also said the business was gradually commencing as the harmattan has not completely set in.

“I have been in this business for almost 20 years, so I know that customers won’t come now till it gets really cold. Conversely, this year’s sales cannot be the same as last year’s due to the economic necessities brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“But we are hopeful that by the grace of God when the cold intensifies, we will make good sales,” he added.

Another businessman in the market, Yunusa Ibrahim Usman, said their major obstacle was the government’s decision to ban the importation of second hand clothes, as the wares were blacklisted as contraband.

“If I buy 10 bales of fairly-used clothes, and three were seized, how will I make a profit from seven bales? If each is N10,000, I have to sell them for N13,000 to make up for the lost bales. And this is why prices will increase; we cannot run at a loss,” Usman said.

He, therefore, appealed to the federal government to consider lifting the ban on the goods to enable them to import with ease and sell at cheaper prices.