Emma Okonji
SweepSouth Connect, an online platform that connects people with reliable and vetted service professionals, is set to launch launched in Nigeria this month.
SweepSouth was first founded seven years ago in South Africa and expanded to Kenya at the beginning of last year. The innovative on-demand Connect platform allows customers the flexibility of booking a pre-vetted household or outdoor service professional at any time, providing a convenient and reliable connection, underpinned by a sense of trust.
Ahead of the launch, SweepSouth included Nigeria in its annual Report on Pay and Working Conditions for Domestic Workers for the first time this year. The report’s results underscored the need for a champion like SweepSouth within this sector. SweepSouth is focused on changing the attitude associated with home service professionals, shining a light on the huge value they contribute, especially as the economy recovers from the pandemic.
SweepSouth CEO and Co-founder, Aisha Pandor, said: “The impact of COVID-19 on the livelihoods of domestic workers has been significant, with the report’s findings showing that in Nigeria about two in five domestic workers lost their jobs due to the pandemic. We are hopeful and excited that our entry into the Nigerian market will have a positive impact on the lives of domestic workers in the country.”
The report also paints a picture of the average domestic worker’s reality. For example, it found that 48 per cent of domestic workers in Nigeria are single parents, with 65 per cent of them being the main breadwinners in the household. It further revealed that 73 per cent of Nigerian domestic workers are in debt, with about 25 per cent feeling hopeless about when they will be able to pay back their debt.
On the work front, Nigerian domestic workers showed an even split between cleaning, cooking, and childcare, with one in two reporting one of these additional responsibilities as part of their primary role. The report also disclosed that the median earnings per month for a domestic worker in Nigeria is NGN 19,500 and that domestic workers in Nigeria are excluded from the National Minimum Wage Act.
SweepSouth Connect has partnered with one of the best cleaning agencies in the region and will be introducing their services to two cities in Nigeria: Lagos and Abuja. The target areas earmarked in Lagos for access to SweepSouth Connect offerings are Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki, Maryland, Ikeja, Surulere and Yaba. In Abuja, residents in Apo, Wuse, Wuse 2, Central Business District, Maitama, Garki, Asokoro, Gwarimpa and Kubwa will have access to the services.