Publication Details
Abstract
Problem: Gender inequality has remained a limiting factor to women in the labour market in Nigeria, which creates occupational segregation, wage inequality, poor access to formal jobs, and a strong tendency to concentrate women in informal sectors with no security or protection. It has been empirically proven that a significant proportion of Nigerian women, above 87% are involved in informal jobs, which face structural obstacles embedded in socio-cultural practices, institutional discrimination, and policy implementation gaps, which limit their workforce performance and economic productivity. These persistent inequalities have serious consequences to inclusive development and national productivity in the socio-economic environment of Nigeria. Purpose: The research was aimed at exploring the role of gender inequality in determining the participation of women in the labour force in Nigeria and to suggest strategic reforms that would re-align institutional and policy processes to promote equitable labour market inclusion for all gender. Theoretical Framework: Liberal Feminist Theory was used to support the research, arguing that gender inequality is socially constructed and reinforced by discriminatory laws, norms, and institutional practices; to improve the economic role of women, it is necessary to reform these obstacles by providing equal rights and opportunities. This theory proposes that gender inequality in the workplace can be reduced through equality of opportunity. Procedure: The qualitative methodology was adopted, and secondary data were collected in the form of textbooks, peer-reviewed journals, government publications, and credible news sources. These data were analyzed through content analysis to extract major themes and trends regarding gender inequality and women participation in the workforce. Findings: The findings indicated that, despite the fact that women are numerically represented in the labour force, structural inequalities, including discriminatory workforce policies, unequal remuneration, and socio-cultural constraints, still hinder their access to quality and secure employment and leadership opportunities. Conclusion: The paper has found that increasing the participation of women in the labour market requires structural changes that address legal discrimination, occupational segregation, and cultural norms that hinder fair participation. Recommendation: The research suggests that policy enforcement should be enhanced, gender-responsive legal frameworks should be established, workforce training programmes should be extended, and social support systems should be improved to enable women to have a more inclusive labour market.