Specialized craft items are sold, and strips of cotton and cowrie shells are used as a means of exchange. Caravans travel through the region, transporting cotton fabrics, leather goods, and kola nuts from a neighboring province. These and other items are exchanged for dried fish, ivory, and ostrich feathers. Among the Mandara, the men hunt, fish, clear the land for cultivation, herd the large animals, and trade with the caravan merchants. The women's responsibilities include milking the animals and engaging in petty trade at the local markets.
Some women also care for the smaller animals and do the agricultural field work.
The Mandara live in compact villages that are grouped in rectangular compounds. Each compound, which contains several small huts, is surrounded by a dirt wall. The huts have straw thatch roofs and walls made of woven grass mats. A headman lives in the center of the village and oversees the entire community. An Islamic mosque is also located in the center of the village, and the religious leader assists the headman in the decision-making.