Beyond Boundaries: The Spatial Connections of Local Markets in Nigeria, 1976-2001

Abstract

This paper gives a brief outline of the connections of three selected local periodic markets, namely Tilden Fulani, Gumau and Nabordo, in Toro area of Bauchi State and other parts of Nigeria, between 1976 and 2001. It is argued that market participants, commodities of exchange, locations, services and Governments policies, projects and programmes served as the bridge between the markets in Toro and other parts of the country. Qualitative method is utilized, whereby information were elicited from majorly oral sources, through extensive field interviews and observations. These were supplemented with documented sources obtained in the libraries and on the internet. This approach demonstrates that the linkage of markets beyond their localities was not novel in history, but the one in the research period witnessed epochal changes in terms of structure and operations of local markets. It is concluded that local government reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s economy were key in shaping the linkages of Toro markets beyond the boundaries of their towns.