Mammoth Crowd At ShopRite Ilorin: Depicts How Underserved Nigeria Is On Recreational, Shopping Facilities
The Oasis Reporters
May 3, 2022
By Greg Abolo
Nigeria is definitely underserved in terms of amenities from the recreational ones to malls, medical facilities and even schools for children. Just as electricity is grossly insufficient, so is potable water.
It shows that the supply gap is massive.
During a break like Eid-el-fitir for Muslims or Christmas for Christians, there usually would be an unprecedented mass of people, struggling to do some shopping in Shopping Malls everywhere.
There are some shops where goods are reasonably priced. One of such shops in Dugbe, Central Ibadan in Nigeria’s South West. Shoppers begin to queue on a long line as early as 6.00am. And eleven hours later, the shopper could still be on the queue, waiting to pay before the cash point. This is because prices there are reasonable. Many people buy stuff from there to resell in corner shops all over the city and beyond.
The scene at shopping malls in Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central was massive, yesterday.
Those making of fun of Ilorin people, if there is no Shoprite in your state you have no right to laugh 😝 pic.twitter.com/2cVStsEuD4
— Mohammed Jammal (@whitenigerian) May 2, 2022
In the most populous city in Northern Nigeria, it was pure bedlam. Shops were full, so were recreational facilities along Airport Road in the city.
Everything in all the Shopping Malls is manual. However, buyers could pay with their debit cards. Still very many pay with cash.
No one knows when shopping outlets would sufficiently increase to serve the teeming customers in Africa’s most populous country.
Still, no one can speculate on when any smart Alec innovative entrepreneur would visit a country like Sweden in Scandinavia. Some of the shops there are self serving and the doors never lock. There are no cash points or cashiers and no apparent security operatives.
You pick your choice and pay on the app on your phone. You also walk into the shop with your phone as the key. Everything is recorded electronically from start to finish.
Nigeria should develop to that level.
