Men in Lagos State spent a whopping ₦661billion on transactional sex in 2024, a survey report has stated. The report, published by MO Africa Co, an advisory firm which utilises data to provide solutions across African governments and businesses, shows the extent and complexity of a largely under-the-radar business that thrives despite legal and societal prohibitions.According to the report, ₦329 billion went directly into the pockets of the sex workers. Men spent ₦117 billion on gifts alone, ₦83.6 billion on entertainment, and ₦66.9 billion on hotels and short-lets.
The demand for sexual stimulants and enhancers also created a ₦16.7 billion market, as ₦16.7 billion was expended on vices and substances. The survey sampled 20 local government areas of Lagos State, gathering information on expenditure patterns, social life, as well as the multiplier effects of the market on other businesses.
With the approximated 3.1 million sexually active men between 20-69 years in Lagos, the report estimated 1.86 million of them to have engaged in transactional sex in the year. On average, each man paid ₦36,750 for each transaction, though payment also varied widely across different locations, ranging from ₦20,000 in Alimosho LGA to ₦100,000 in high-end Eti-Osa LGA.
The study illustrated that transactional sex is not limited to traditional street prostitution alone. It also includes brothel working, elite escorting, and a growing online market whereby sex workers use social media and content-sharing sites to find clients.
Its cause was mammoth social and economic issues, and it is asserted that individuals frequent commercial sexual services in huge numbers due to convenience, to remove emotional entanglement, and to unwind, without getting entrapped in the complexities of normal relationships.
Cause such as financial adversity, urbanization, and changing attitudes toward relationships are also said to be accountable for stoking this trade.
Approximately 70% of sex workers gave economic need as the predominant reason for engaging in transactional sex, which has become a survival strategy in Lagos due to the expensive nature of living and few job opportunities. The earnings were spent on personal upkeep, family, education, and small enterprises.
