Cameroonian Women in the Informal Petrol Trade: The Case of Bamenda City Council Area, 1980-2017

Abstract

Women in the Bamenda Grassland have always been involved in different aspects of economic activities notably agriculture, local industry, and trade to sustain their households. Time and circumstances inevitably presented situations compelling them to take economic responsibility by complimenting men’s efforts and supplementing family income. This study examines women’s involvement in informal trade activities, particularly the petrol (commonly known as fingue or zoa-zoa) trade in Bamenda City. The article draws attention not only to the circumstances and contexts of women’s involvement in the informal petrol trade but also to the cutting-edge role they played in the business. The study makes use of written, oral as well as online sources to sustain its thesis.