One of the first day’s tasks was to exchange 700 USD into Naira at the most profitable rate. This involved traveling with a friend’s uncle to an area in Ikeja, specifically dedicated to informal currency trading.
From a great number of street financial specialists we were only bargaining with the Aboki: traditionally dressed Hausa Muslims, renowned for their honesty in this business (Aboki = friend, in Hausa language). Having spent an hour and followed a couple of Aboki to their ‘Offices’ in the depths of the numerous alleys packed with people in elegant and colourful Baggan Rigas rushing around with brick-sized Euro, Dollar and Naira stacks, we have settled on a particularly flexible Aboki.
At first I was shy to participate in the debate and focused on holding tightly onto my precious envelope, however after a while I took an initiative in pressing our Aboki up to 384.5 Naira/USD.
no.balsa 