Report Highlights Skills Gaps, Structural Policy Barriers as Hindrance to Women Participation in Nigeria’s Labour Market

Oluchi Chibuzor

A recent survey conducted by Jobberman in partnership with Mastercard foundation has shown that low women participation in the nation’s labour market are intrinsically related to skills gaps, policy failures and marginalization in the workplace.

This, according to the report, perhaps explains why over one million women are represented in formal employment in Nigeria and suggest their dominance in the informal sector as a consequence of multifaceted barriers and not a necessary preference.

In response to these unfavourable structural conditions and marginalization, the report revealed that women are creatively redefining work in ways that reinforce their identity, values, talents and skills.

But as gender parity and equity continues to take center stage, stakeholders at the launch of the report, titled, “Unmasking The Barriers To Women’s Participation in Nigeria’s Labour Market,” believe that both genders should be given equal opportunities that reflect their needs, abilities and values.

Meanwhile, giving her keynote address, at the event tagged Gender Roundtable 2022, Investment Professional, Yewande Sadiku, said women must be deliberate and authentic in pursuing their dreams irrespective of the enormous responsibility of being a woman.

“Women must develop a reputation for hard work, high quality delivery and be very aggressive and intentional in investing and building passive income. Women must be shameless in breaking barriers that come in different forms around them.”

The report highlighted that for women in formal and informal employment about 51 percent of women surveyed across the three states indicated that they are more interested in formal work, compared to 17 percent who say they want to be self-employed and 12 percent who are interested in entrepreneurship. 

However, the Managing Director, ROAM Africa Jobs, Hilda Kragha said, “patriarchal society and historical challenges has made us believe that women cannot multitask. Organisations should begin to put policy in place that makes it flexible for women to work.”

According to the report, “With only one million women represented in formal employment in Nigeria, it is perhaps safe to suggest that women’s dominance in the informal sector is a consequence of multifaceted barriers and not necessarily a preference. 

“Beyond the gaps in education and skills which remains a significant barrier to formal employment, a common feedback from our interviews further posits that more women are moving into the informal sector due to unfavorable structural conditions and marginalization. Women are creatively redefining work in ways that reinforce their identity, values, talent, and skills.”

It pointed out that women’s increasing engagement in the creative sector, especially, beauty and lifestyle, tourism and hospitality, entertainment and performing arts have become the means by which they are expressing their agency and resilience in the face of structural limitations. 

Meanwhile, Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Folasade Adefisayo, “women must be conscious in training girls who are different and must celebrate themselves.”