International records / OpenAlex research

Methodological triangulation for studying informal livelihoods: Lessons from surveys, ethnography, and admin data in Kuje

The informal economy sustains most livelihoods in Kuje (FCT, Nigeria), yet single-method studies struggle to capture its scale, organization, and relationship with the state. This study tests a triangulated design that integrates a probability survey of operators (n = 480), immersive ethnography with purposively selected key informants (n = 60), and administrative records from 2019–2024 (n = 1, 275 entries). The survey measured sectoral participation, earnings, and licensing; ethnography traced everyday practices, tacit rules, and risk-sharing; administrative files provided the state’s “view” …