Potiskum, Yobe State, has an unheard-of quantity of trailers in every nook and cranny, giving the impression that the town is a massive mechanical workshop. Trailers can be found inside major mechanical workplaces, as well as by the sides of the roadways. It is reasonable to believe that all of the trailers on Nigerian highways began their adventures in Potiskum because there are so many workshops with trailers in varying states of development. The town is well-known for housing a large number of articulated vehicles that are utilized for long-distance travel and the transportation of commodities throughout the nation.Some of the truck owners told Weekend Trust that Potiskum’s strategic location as a major cattle traffic hub in West Africa is the reason why the trailer industry flourishes there. They said that the town became a vital hub for trade and transportation as trucks from all over the world gathered there to load or unload products.Alhaji Abubakar Adamu Bazuwa, the managing director of Bazuwa Motors in Potiskum and one of the owners of the largest haulage firms in the town, told Weekend Trust that many of the area’s merchants were influenced by the company’s founders who were successful in their day. I’ve worked in this industry for more than 30 years. Our father, Alhaji Adamu Bazuwa, a renowned businessman in the haulage and livestock industries, left it to me. These companies were anchored by individuals such as Alhaji Barau, Alhaji Yaro Gambo, Alhaji Hamza Dan-Agalam, Alhaji Isa Jajere, and my father, Alhaji Adamu Bazuwa. To increase their revenue, they merged their agricultural, cattle rearing, and trucking businessesThey were farmers and entrepreneurs who farmed millet, sorghum, beans, maize, and groundnuts. They kept the remaining crops for their families at home after selling them after harvest. They used their harvested animal feeds to fatten rams and bulls, which they then sold during the Eid al-Kabir festivals after purchasing them at reasonable prices from livestock markets. It’s a profitable enterprise. To increase their income, they used the money they made from this business to purchase trucks and trailers.Trading, farming, and livestock keeping are all blessings for Potiskum town. These entrepreneurs and affluent people developed rivalries among themselves and prepared their offspring and mentees to succeed them. These mentors, their kids, mentees, and drivers who saved a lot of money and took over the company eventually died or aged. Positive outcomes have resulted from their good legacy. Many people have entered the industry to make a living, in addition to their kids and mentees. Over 5,000 trailers and other trucks are currently owned by Potiskum residents.I sell trucks and trailers as part of my haulage business. Additionally, these vehicles are restored in my workshop when they sustain damage. “I oversee more than 200 employees every day,” he remarked. Before they realized the profitable aspect of the industry, the merchants were first purchasing the trucks and trailers specifically to move their livestock and agricultural goods to the southern region of the nation, according to Alhaji Yakubu Yunusa, another haulage trader. “,” These businessmen from Potiskum initially purchased these trailers and trucks in order to transport their harvested crops and fattened rams and bulls to markets in order to make money, but as time passed and they saw how profitable the industry was, they began to use haulage.The fact that Potiskum has the biggest cattle market in West Africa is one of its benefits, drawing traders from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and the Benin Republic. The story would have changed by now if it weren’t for insurgency. The trucks are being used by the international traders who purchased livestock and agricultural items from our market to ship their goods back to their home countries. Potiskum’s economic significance becomes evident when one considers the economic significance of moving commodities around Nigeria.Some trailers are laden with cereals, dried fish, cattle, and vegetables and are prepared to travel in all directions in Nigeria if you follow federal government routes and key cities. Onions, rice, and scavengers are all put onto different trailers. These trailers’ owners are Potiskum natives, and the most of these trucks are from the town. Many residents in Potiskum depend on the haulage industry as their primary source of income since it offers work to a variety of people, according to Weekend Trust. The secretary of the Shippers Association, Alhaji Garba Alele (Gado-damasin Fika), informed our reporter that every trailer offers employment opportunities for a variety of individuals, ranging from technicians to drivers.From drivers and their sons to truck washers, merchandisers, spare part dealers, panel beaters, and other trainees who rely on these trailers for a living, each trailer you see employs over ten people. Many of our young people have university degrees, but they are succeeding in this industry. Some of these grads got married, constructed their own homes, and own expensive vehicles or motorcycles. People in Potiskum depend heavily on transportation, farming, and animal husbandry for their livelihood. “There were 3,800 registered members who owned trailers in Potiskum when I was the chairman of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Potiskum Local Government branch.” The fact that some trailer owners are not NARTO members should not be overlooked.Additionally, there are more than 2 million registered trucks, trailers, and tippers operating on Nigerian roadways in Potiskum. Some folks own anywhere from five to one hundred trailers. When their parents died, some folks received their trucks,” he remarked. Regarding women’s involvement in the industry, Alele stated that because the trucks were so expensive, he had never encountered a woman who owned a trailer or worked in the industry. “The majority of the women in this industry inherited their trailers from their family members.” There was not a single woman in the entire Potiskum who had a trailer when I served as chairman.The majority of this company’s founders are men, not women. Additionally, men have owned the trailer industry up to this point. Women don’t appear to find it attractive. At the moment, I own over five trucks,” he remarked. Trailer owners are complaining that their business has been negatively impacted by the high cost of trucks, bodies, and diesel, which has caused many people to quit and invest in other areas. One haulage businessman, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, told Weekend Trust that in addition to truck pricing, the depreciating state of roads and the bodywork of trucks also have a detrimental impact on the company. The soaring cost of these trucks is one of the issues we are dealing with. The government is raising taxes on them because they are imported.During the Goodluck Jonathan government, a truck would cost N3 million or N4 million. Under the Buhari administration, that amount rose to N9 million and N12 million, and today, a truck head costs N35 million. We used to pay N3 to N4 million for a constructed trailer body, but now it costs N22 or N25 million. We used to own a new trailer and its body for N15 million, but now it costs N60 million. The cost of diesel is N1,100 per liter. A trailer carrying products from Potiskum to Kurmi would hold 1,500 liters, which, when calculated, would yield over N1.6 million. Muhammad moaned.
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