Inside the booming Kano laundry business

In Kano, young men who make a living in washing clothes for others for a fee are popularly called Maiwanki (singular) in Hausa. These wash men revealed to Pyramid Trust the nitty-gritty of the business. Sani Mohammed joined the business about a year ago, and for him, it is the best business a young man […]

In Kano, young men who make a living in washing clothes for others for a fee are popularly called Maiwanki (singular) in Hausa. These wash men revealed to Pyramid Trust the nitty-gritty of the business.

Sani Mohammed joined the business about a year ago, and for him, it is the best business a young man who did not have the opportunity to have western education could engage in. “This business is, to me, the best thing an illiterate like me can engage in. I said this because I tried so many other businesses before God gave me the wisdom to start laundry.”

He added: “Before I started this business, I engaged in so many businesses including achaba and grocery. I sold sugarcane, I walked as errand boy at Kwari market, I engaged in brick laying as a labourer. But at the end, they all proved to be just too demanding with little income compared to this laundry business. So honestly, I thank God for giving me the wisdom to venture into this business. I also pray to Him to grant me the wisdom to fulfill promises I make to my customers.”  

But the cold dry season brings a tough challenge for Sani. He said: “It is really not easy washing while the cold wind of the dry season is blowing. But the fact is that we are trying our best and our consolation is that we warm up when ironing.”

“The business is lucrative because most of what is invested is man power and not raw cash so we thank God for everything.  Pair of clothes for both men and women are washed at the cost of N60 each. Children’s wares cost N30 to N40 per pair, depending on the type of material. Charges for other things such as blankets and curtains are negotiated.

 Interestingly, many sets of clothes are washed with soap or detergent that costs reasonably. So, all that matters is the ability of one to wash the clothes very well. I think the investment is more in taking energetic and nutritious food which can keep one able and agile at all times”. Sani concluded.

Pyramid Trust however, learnt that a pair of clothes is dry cleaned at the cost of N40 in the metropolis against the N60 that is charged in other parts of the city.

Ahmadu Ibrahim is also one of the men engaged in the business. He said his dream in the business is to own and operate a standard laundry shop. “My dream in this business is to be well established, own and run a standard laundry service centre that will be a centre of attraction in the town,” he said.

He said he has since started saving towards realizing that dream. “It has been a life long dream and I have since the past two years started saving towards that. When I have saved enough capital to start operating, I intend to join one of such laundry services in town to acquire some knowledge of how to operate the machines and also expand my knowledge on managing such an outfit. With that, I will be fully equipped to operate,” he revealed.

While Ibrahim has a big dream for his business, for Umar Adamu, it is a family business affair as he said his wife is also engaged in the business as she wash female wears while he takes care of male wears.

“My wife is also into same business with me but she does hers in the house. She only washes for women while I wash for men but do the ironing for both. She started washing out of admiration and support she had for me when we got married,” he said.

Explaining further, he said, “When things were not really going on smooth for the family, I told her of my intention to start laundry services and my wife encouraged me. She went to the neighbouring houses and informed them that I have started laundry. Luckily enough; most of them supported me by patronizing my services. It was then my wife started helping me by washing that of the females. That was how she also engaged fully to the extent that our customers are now used to our system. The females take their laundry to the house for her to wash while the males bring theirs to the shop. And for those that are not aware of the arrangement, they bring it to the shop while I separate them and take those of the females to her.”

Interestingly, not only Adamu’s wife, more women are today engaging themselves in the business of commercial laundry, Pyramid Trust learnt. These women do their own businesses in the house unlike the men who mostly operate at the shops and other washing centres.

While many people are comfortable with the services of these washmen, some others complain about the way the washing is done. The most common complains are that the clothes are sometimes not properly washed or  are all put into a container and soaked thereby some clothes with low quality colours stain the others.

But Ibrahim said that is not usually the case.

“All the complaints by people are usually looked into. But what I must say here is, it is not in all cases that clothes are not properly washed or colours of other clothes stain others. Take for instance, I have been in this business for years and have never experienced such problems because I usually separate colours before soaking them in water. The only problem I encounter with my customers is that of not keeping to the time I ask them to come for their clothes.”

One thing that remains of utmost importance to the existence of this business is water. Most of the washmen interviewed said they target areas were lack of water will not hamper the business. “Water source is the number one consideration when establishing laundry business because it will be impossible for anyone to operate without water,” they concurred.