Occupational Health Challenges Facing Female Market Traders in Ogun State

Female market traders in Nigerian urban and peri-urban settings experience a complex set of occupational health challenges that remain inadequately studied. This study identified and documented the occupational health challenges facing female traders in selected markets in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A qualitative approach using focused group discussions supplemented by structured questionnaires was adopted for 155 female traders across four major markets. Issues explored included physical health complaints, psychosocial stressors, environmental exposures, and access to health services. Findings revealed that prolonged standing and heavy load carrying were near-universal experiences, with 83.2 percent reporting lower limb pain and fatigue. Exposure to traffic-related air pollution, unhygienic sanitation conditions, and extreme weather were identified as significant environmental hazards. Psychosocial stressors, particularly financial insecurity and harassment, were reported by 76.1 percent of respondents. Access to any form of formal occupational health services was reported by only 9 percent of participants. Pregnancy-related occupational risks were a notable concern, with many continuing strenuous activities through late gestation due to economic pressure. This study calls for market-based primary healthcare outreach, gender-sensitive occupational health policies, and the development of social protection frameworks that extend occupational health coverage to female informal traders in Ogun State. Keywords: female market traders, occupational health, informal sector, gender, Abeokuta.