The recent survey that was carried out to establish the economic importance of commercial sex work, the market value and the players, has shown that in 2024, an estimate of N661 billion was spent by men in Lagos State to satisfy their sexual urge with the commercial sex workers, otherwise known as runs girls.
According to The Guardian, the survey shared by an X user, Kayode MO (@kayomosebi), of the N661 billion, the sum of N329 billion was paid to hire the girls, while N332 billion was spent on other associated costs.
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The statistics from the survey shows that of the 3.1 million sexually active men between the age of 20 and 69 in 20 local government areas in Lagos, 1.86 million of them engages in transaction sex with non-partners. The average rate charged by the girls involved in such transactions is N36,750 while the the lowest is N20,000. In Eti-Osa local government area, transactional sex can cost as much as N100,000. The local government area contains affluent neighborhoods like Ikoyi where people with generational wealth live; Victoria Island which is known to house the headquarters of multinational companies; and Lekki which has a fast developing real estate sector with a seaport and a free trade zone in place while an airport is in the works.
The other LGAs behind Eti-Osa in terms of expensive transactional sex include Surulere, Kosofe, Alimosho, and Oshodi-Isolo. Of the N329 billion received by the sex workers, N93 billion was spent by the ladies on body and skin maintenance products, including natural hair. The survey showed that the ladies didn’t just engage in the practice for themselves alone as they supported their families with N62.5 billion. Another N62.5 billion was gulped by clothing, accessories, rent, car and e-hailing, fitness and healthy living.
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N46 billion was spent on businesses like crypto, trading, forex, and betting. Health and education gulped N15 billion each as the ladies spent on antibiotics, supplements, STD treatment, check ups, Bachelor’s program, coursework, project writers, and settlements, amongst other. The survey showed that apart from the sum paid for sex, Lagos men also spent N332 billion associated costs on various activities with entertainment, food and hospitality being responsible for a joint N150.6 billion expended in 2024.
“Gifts, ranging from souvenirs and other simple consumables from ‘loyal’ and repeat customers to expense-paid trips, vacations, cars, and luxury items in the more premium segments, represented the top single category of these other costs. “Drugs, sexual enhancers, stimulators and sex accessories also enjoyed a combined N33.4 billion in the time period,” the survey said.
