Ground Truth: Community Research
Objective
To validate the real-world problems affecting informal workers in Nigeria by conducting field observations and community interviews. This ensures CivicChain is built on verified, lived experiences rather than assumptions.
Research Activities
1. Community Observations
Observation Session
Date: 23rd November 2025
Location: Kpata Market, Lokoja
Observations:
Observation 1: Cash-only payments with no receipts
- Revenue collectors moved around collecting daily levies from traders in cash
- No digital record, no paper receipt, and no verification mechanism existed
Observation 2: Traders unable to prove long-term compliance
- Several traders complained about paying for years but having “no evidence” to show for their payment history
Observation 3: Lack of identity verification for relief or support
- Associations and NGOs rely on handwritten lists, making it easy for non-members or fake names to appear during aid distribution
2. Interviews Conducted
Interview 1
- Date: 22nd November 2025
- Interviewee: Female trader, late 30s - grains and household provisions
- Location: International market, Lokoja
Key Questions Asked:
- Do you receive any record or receipt when you pay daily levies?
- Have you attempted to access loans or financial support?
- How do you prove your business legitimacy when needed?
Key Responses:
“They collect ₦110 from me every day but I have never gotten any receipt.”
“Microfinance people always reject me because I have no record, even though I have been paying for years.”
“If the government says we should bring evidence, we don’t have anything to show.”
Interview 2
- Date: 22nd November 2025
- Interviewee: Male revenue collector, 40s - Local government agent
- Location: International market, Lokoja
Key Questions Asked:
- How do you track the levies you collect daily?
- Do traders trust the collection process?
- What challenges do you face when reporting to supervisors?
Key Responses:
“Everything is manual. I just write the amounts in my book and then I issue them a signed paper.”
“Some traders think we cheat them because there is no receipt.”
“When it’s time to submit reports, there’s always confusion because there is no accurate record.”
Interview 3
- Date: 25th of November 2025
- Interviewee: NGO volunteer, female, late 20s
- Location: Ganaja village
Key Questions Asked:
- How do you verify beneficiaries during aid distribution?
- Do you encounter ghost beneficiaries or duplicated names?
- What would help make the process fairer?
Key Responses:
“We usually depend on handwritten lists from local leaders.”
“Sometimes we see the same names repeated or people showing up multiple times.”
“If we could verify identity digitally, it would solve many issues.”
Evidence Repository
Voice Notes
Upload and link your voice recordings here:
- Voice Note 1 - Interview with X
- Voice Note 2 - Interview with Y
- Voice Note 3 - Community observation
Photos/Videos (Optional)
[Any visual documentation of your research]
Raw Data Summary
Problems Identified
- No digital receipts or transaction history for traders
- Daily revenue payments are cash-only and unverifiable
- Microfinance institutions reject informal workers due to lack of records
- Ghost beneficiaries and fraudulent lists in aid distribution
- Revenue collectors struggle with manual reporting and mistrust
- No digital identity system linking individuals to their economic activity
Community Pain Points
“We pay every day, but cannot prove anything.”
“No receipt means anyone can cheat us.”
“Banks don’t trust us because we look like we have no business.”
“Aid reaches people who are not even affected.”
“People think we steal revenue because there is no transparency.”
Next Steps
After gathering ground truth, proceed to Formulate Insight to identify patterns and themes.
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