By Laju Iren

Despite widespread awareness about HIV/AIDs and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, commercial sex trade in Nigeria is notorious for its growing market. Results of a study carried out in Lagos recently, revealed that 26% of men who patronize commercial sex workers do so to fulfill a need for sexual experimentation.

The survey, carried out by a sixteen-man team post graduate students of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, under the supervision of Dr. Adepoju Tejumaiye, was titled, ‘Lagosians’ patronage of commercial sex workers,’ and surveyed 110 men across five different nude clubs in Lagos.

80.91 percent of respondents also attested to patronizing commercial sex workers for reasons ranging from sexual experimentation, peer pressure, lack of sexual fulfillment and large sexual appetite. Strangely, lack of sexual fulfillment from partners had the lowest representation with only 16 percent of men labeling it as their reason for patronizing commercial sex workers.

The study also revealed that 65.4 percent of those who patronize commercial sex workers do it frequently; 32.7 percent ticked the ‘often’ option in the questionnaire, and another 32.7 percent ticked ‘everyday.’