A recent survey has revealed that men in Lagos spent a staggering N661 billion on transactional sex in 2024, highlighting the economic scale of the industry in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
According to the report shared by social media user Kayode MO (@kayomosebi) on X, N329 billion of the total expenditure was directly paid to sex workers, while an additional N332 billion went toward related expenses, such as entertainment, hospitality, and luxury gifts.
The survey, conducted across 20 local government areas, analyzed the spending patterns of 3.1 million sexually active men aged 20 to 69. It found that 1.86 million of them engaged in paid sexual transactions with non-partners. The average fee for such services was pegged at N36,750, with the lowest charge recorded at N20,000. However, in Eti-Osa LGA—home to high-net-worth neighborhoods such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Lekki—transactional sex reportedly cost as much as N100,000.
Other LGAs with significant spending on commercial sex included Surulere, Kosofe, Alimosho, and Oshodi-Isolo.
The report further detailed how the N329 billion earned by sex workers was spent. Of this amount, N93 billion went into body and skin maintenance, while N62.5 billion each was allocated to family support and personal lifestyle expenses, such as clothing, rent, and transportation. Additionally, N46 billion was invested in businesses, including cryptocurrency, forex trading, and betting. Another N15 billion each was spent on healthcare and education, covering medical checkups, STD treatments, and university coursework.
The survey also highlighted how men in Lagos spent an additional N332 billion on related costs, with entertainment, food, and hospitality accounting for N150.6 billion. Lavish gifts—including expense-paid trips, vacations, luxury cars, and designer items—were a major component of these expenditures. Furthermore, men spent N33.4 billion on drugs, sexual enhancers, and accessories to enhance their experiences.
