Impact of COVID-19 on the Informal Sector and Coping Strategies in Sabon Tasha, Chikun LGA, Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the informal sector in Sabon Tasha, Chikun LGA, Kaduna, Nigeria and the various strategies that could be applied to sustain the sector. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to 100 respondents in the study area engaged in informal businesses using the simple random sampling technique. The data was analysed using frequency, arithmetic mean score, and the one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the loss of sources of income and increased the level of food insecurity, which pushed poor households and individuals to resort to negative coping strategies, including criminal activities. The study therefore recommends that government should provide long-term soft loans that informal business owners can access and pay back without difficulty; and palliatives donated to households by individuals and NGOs should be conscientiously shared such that people at the grassroots are reached.