As students return to the American University of Nigeria (AUN) after the summer break, businesses across campus are once again seeing more customers and activity.
For vendors whose businesses depend largely on students, the three-month break brought fewer customers, lower sales and, in some cases, temporary changes to their operations. While some scaled back, others found ways to keep their businesses running during the quieter period.
At Grill and Chill Lounge, Abdulrahmam Bapullo said the break had a significant effect on his business. He estimated that his income fell by almost 50 percent compared with the period when students were on campus. “It was quite challenging because our customers are away,” Bapullo said.
He said he was able to cope during the break because he operates another business outside AUN. The drop in customer traffic, however, also affected his staff, as there was less work available for them.
Dauda Saminu took a different approach, temporarily closing his business during the break because the absence of his main customers made it difficult to maintain normal operations. With students now back on campus, he has resumed business and is looking forward to increased customer traffic and sales.
Other vendors found ways to keep their businesses active despite the quieter period. Esther Usman, a cafeteria food vendor, took outside orders and supplied meals to external organizations during the break. She said this helped keep her team active and allowed the business to continue operating.
Usman said the business performed better during this break than it did the previous year because of the additional outside orders.
G-Mama, another cafeteria food vendor, said she had anticipated the decline in activity and planned for it. Although sales were affected, she said the break did not significantly disrupt her operations. She added that business is now returning to normal.
With the new academic term underway, vendors are also adapting their businesses to the needs of returning students.
Bapullo said he expects sales to increase and plans to introduce a wider variety of meals based on students’ preferences. His business has also introduced swipe payments, allowing students to use their ID cards to purchase meals instead of relying solely on cash.
He also noted increased activity at night as students return to the lounge for entertainment and social activities.
Saminu is similarly expanding his offerings, with a wider variety of meals and snacks tailored to students’ preferences.
For vendors, however, the return of customers also brings the need to maintain the quality of their products and services. G-Mama said her team is working to improve its meals and services, while Usman emphasized the importance of providing quality service to students.
The different experiences of the vendors reflect the close relationship between campus businesses and the academic calendar. During extended breaks, vendors must find ways to manage lower demand; when students return, they adjust their operations to meet changing needs.