Sellers of tea, bean cake (akara) and, pap are doing brisk business in Kaduna and environs as the harmattan cold bites harder in the city.

Observations show the residents rush for hot tea, chocolate beverages, noodles and ‘akara’ to alleviate the effects of the inclement weather.

Some of the vendors who spoke to journalists disclosed that the increased patronage accounted for the additional profits.

A tea vendor on the Bida road, Nasir Kabir, said the high demand for hot tea started at the inception of the harmattan in the first week of December 2021.

”Most of my customers are commercial bus and motorcycle operators, labourers and students troop to my stand as early as 06:30 a.m. to keep themselves warm,” explained Mr Kabir. “The demand has doubled in the last one week and sincerely, I am making huge gains from my business.”

Another tea vendor Isah Gambo at Sokoto Street, disclosed that he had to engage two persons to assist him in serving the customers who troop to his stand daily.

“While I focus on preparing the noodles, one of my workers prepares the tea while the other does the dishes,” stated Mr Gambo. “I used to have at least 20 to 30 customers daily but since the harmattan, we attend to over 50 customers daily.”

According to him, a cup of tea is between N50 and N100, and a plate of noodles sells between N100 to N250 depending on the customer’s preference.

A commercial tricyclist, Musa Anche, said he usually left home as early as 6:00 a.m. to the tea spot before he began his daily routine.

“As a bachelor, I patronise the tea vendors because of the cold weather,” he said.

(NAN)