In the conservative Muslim city of Kano in northern Nigeria, more women are entering jobs traditionally dominated by men as economic hardship forces many to support themselves and their families.
One of them is Umma Hani Yusuf Khalid, a 35-year-old divorced mother of two who now works as a rickshaw taxi driver — a role that would have been unthinkable for women in the city just a few years ago.
Wearing a pink knee-length veil, Khalid drives a distinctive pink electric rickshaw through the busy streets of Kano, often stopping to pick up female passengers.
She is among 100 women working as drivers under Mata Zalla, a cooperative aimed at promoting women’s economic independence.
Khalid said the job requires determination as female drivers often face various challenges. She left her previous work selling footwear about 18 months ago to become a driver, a move that significantly improved her income. The new job helped her rebuild her house and contribute financially to family needs.
Her daily routine begins early. Each morning she travels about 15 kilometres to the Mata Zalla office before starting her work on the city’s crowded roads. After taking passengers, she briefly returns home to prepare her children for school before heading back out to continue working.
Despite the long hours, Khalid said staying calm is key to the job. “You just remain composed behind the wheel,” she said.
The Mata Zalla programme, whose name means “exclusively women” in the Hausa language, was created to provide employment opportunities for women in a region struggling with poverty.
Kano State is one of 23 northern Nigerian states where Islamic Sharia law operates alongside federal and state legal systems. The city also has one of the country’s highest divorce rates, according to the local Sharia enforcement agency, leaving many women responsible for supporting their families.
To launch the project, Mata Zalla secured a loan and partnered with an electric rickshaw assembly company in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub. Drivers gradually pay off the vehicles by contributing part of their daily earnings over three years, after which they fully own their rickshaws.
According to Mata Zalla co-founder Hauwa Ahmad Tarauni, the idea came from recognising that the rickshaw transport sector had long been dominated by men.
Rickshaws have been a major mode of transport in Kano since 2005, with about 60,000 petrol-powered vehicles currently operating in the city of around five million people.
However, the female drivers still face challenges. Khalid said some male motorists behave aggressively toward them, sometimes attempting to intimidate them on the road.
To create a safer environment, Mata Zalla limits its services to female passengers only. This arrangement has gained support from many women who prefer riding with female drivers.
One passenger, Sarah Abner, said she feels more comfortable travelling with a woman driver rather than sharing a rickshaw with a man.
Due to the programme’s success, Mata Zalla is now seeking additional funding to expand its fleet, as around 200 women are currently on a waiting list to join.
Tarauni said the demand for transportation in Kano is huge and the existing 100 rickshaws are only “a drop in the sea.” – AFP
