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GENDER DIFFERENCES, PARTICIPATION AND INEQUALITY IN LABOUR MARKETS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The labour market is profoundly influenced by various demographic factors with Gender emerging as a pivotal element shaping employment patterns and economic outcomes. Gender differences in Labour market participation and inequality remain significant challenges in Nigeria, shaping both economic development and social inclusion. Women’s Labour force participation is consistently lower than men’s with recent estimates showing female rate around 52 percent compared to 65 percent for men. Even when employed, women are disproportionately represented in informal and low-paying sector, while men donate formal wages employment. This paper highlight on persistent wages gaps that exist, exacerbated by marital status, motherhood, and culture and social arms that continue to assign women heavy domestic responsibilities, constrains their time and mobility for paid work. It will also examine educational disparities, weak enforcement of labour regulations and limited social protection further entrench inequality. The implications are wide-ranging women face higher poverty risks, house-holds experience reduced income security and the nation loses potential productivity and inclusive growth. The paper seeks to explain recent improvements, such as rising female participation rates targeted empowerment programmes and growing policy attention to gender equity which indicate slow but positive change. In addressing these disparities requires, multidimensional strategies including expanding women’s access to education and digital skill; enforcing equal play laws. The paper adopted empirical method of contacting different texts and relevant journals. The paper concludes that formalising informal work, improving childcare support, and challenging entrenched gender norms, by bridging the gender gap in Nigeria’s labour market is not on question of equity, but also a crucial diver for sustainable economic transformation and national development.

KEYWORDS: Gender inequality, Labour Market, Participation, wages gap, informal employment, women employment, Nigeria.

INEMESIT ENOBONG UWAH, Ph.D AND EFFIONG JONAH EKPO, Ph.D

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCEMENT IN EDUCATION, MANAGEMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOL 8 NO 2.