The saying that Nigerians like to shop is almost cliché as numerous comedians and even musicians have hinted at the idea. While it seems like a stereotype, there appears to be an atom of truth in it. Nigeria in general is a very commercial country.
Its many streets and boulevards are lined with malls, shops, stores, markets and boutiques; online stores as well are bursting at their seams with sales items and services to be rendered, as E-commerce is becoming one of the fastest growing trend in the business sector; yet, during the holiday and peak sales periods abroad, droves of Nigerians travel out to shop! It gets one to wonder: What do Nigerians do with all the stuff they buy? And what is their obsession with shopping anyways?
If these thoughts are going through your head and you can’t seem to find a suitable answer, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking site has 5 reasons Nigerian love to shop:
They love a good bargain
Everyone loves a good discount and would certainly take special offers and patronize a store on clearance sales, however, with Nigerians, it is almost an addiction. Simple phrases like 50% OFF, ‘buy one, get one free’ bring some sort of special meaning to their lives and they find it hard to resist the lure of shopping as most times, they believe the opportunity may never come again. That is why you find Nigerians buying tickets to travel abroad for special sales in various countries, and local shops in Nigeria now becoming the first ones in Africa to adopt the American tradition of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as the British tradition of Boxing Day sales.
Nigerians are happy and generous people
Despite the state of the economy, Nigerians still seem drawn to shopping and commercialism is still on the rise. Not because they like to live out of their means, but because they are happy people who are not willing to remain perturbed by the economic downturn and scarcity. Rather, the markets are filled to the brim daily with buyers who happily make purchases of things they needs as well as gift items for others including Christmas hampers etc. Those who cannot afford to make actual purchases resort to window shopping, feasting their eye on the things they hope to one day own or purchase in future.
A strong sense of fashion and a love for trends
Nigerians generally love fashion and so they love to keep up with trends from around the world. To keep up with these trends however usually involves a lot of shopping and at frequent intervals as style continuously evolves at a speedy pace. And what’s more, a plethora websites like Kaymu and Jumia act as the catalyst, abating their shopping needs by making the process much easier and convenient. They do not have to travel or spend time scouting through long racks of clothes to know what is in vogue or to get their sizes.
Societal pressure
Nigerians are very social and with that comes with a lot of pressure. From the need to measure up to peers in the area of dressing and appearance to conceding to expectations dictated by traditions, customs and beliefs, Nigerians find themselves always shopping for the items they need to meet these pressures. A child who has just gotten admission into a school needs a new wardrobe so he does not appear “poor”, a young girl whose friend is getting married has to shop for the right Asoebi and shoes, A family who has a cause to celebrate has to host a party and that involves a whole lot of grocery shopping and accessory shopping for decoration
| Ndem Nkem |
