Assessment of barriers to livelihood diversification among commercial motor drivers in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The research investigated the evaluation of obstacles to expanding sources of income among commercial motor drivers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A total of 120 commercial motor drivers were selected for the study using a multistage sampling method. The data was collected through pre-tested questionnaires administered to the respondents. Subsequently, the collected data was subjected to analysis, employing both descriptive statistics and Tobit regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that 65.7 percent of the commercial drivers were male, and approximately 46.7 percent fell within the age range of 21 to 30 years, with 61.3 percent of them being married. Furthermore, 54.2 percent of the commercial motor drivers had households consisting of 1 to 5 individuals. A significant majority of the respondents (60.83 percent) reported earning between ₦500,001 and ₦1,000,000 on annual basis. Moreover, the study highlighted the strategies adopted by the respondents, with 24.4 percent engaging in crop production as the most prevalent method for diversifying their livelihoods. The finding also revealed that sex, marital status, membership of cooperative society and land acquisition were the factors influencing the involvement of commercial motor drivers in livelihood diversification in the stud area while inadequacy of credit/ capital, poor asset base and fear of taking risk were the constraints preventing the commercial motor drivers from involving in livelihood diversification. Therefore, it is recommended that the government allocate adequate funds and loans to registered commercial driver associations. This will provide essential support for the livelihoods of the respondents as they go about their daily activities, alleviating the stress of financial uncertainty.