Geopoll, a company specializing in provision of global, remote mobile-based research services, have administered a survey on the impact of COVID-19 on low income families that rely on the informal sector for their livelihood and daily consumption. 
The results reveal that while closing of borders and imposing restrictions to contain the virus was expected to affect the export industry the most, it turns out that it is in fact the informal sector that has been the hardest hit.
According to Roxana Elliot, Geopoll’s Vice-President (Marketing & Content), of the five countries surveyed in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and South Africa, 60 percent of the formal sector reported income fall compared to 88 per cent of the informal sector.
It further revealed that the lifting of restrictions is unlikely to repair the damage in the foreseen future as only 57 per cent of the surveyed said they have work to return to once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Elliot said in a release made available to NATIONAL ACCORD on Thursday that Nigeria was the only country of the surveyed where the majority were of the opinion that reopening of the economy is a priority. The remaining were of the of view that their governments should priorities protecting people from the virus.
Altogether, 30 per cent said they would be recovering most of their expenses over the next month through borrowing, and 28 per cent through loans. Almost half of all the respondents have taken an extra loan to cover household expenses.