The quiet crisis of women earning less

Women’s low earning power in Nigeria is quiet but deeply entrenched – shaped by occupational gender segregation and financial dependence, both of which are rooted in societal norms. These challenges ripple into generational poverty.

Take Ayo (not her real name) she cooked for neighbourhood parties, tailored clothes on the side, fed and sent her two kids to school, and helped keep the generator running at night. Ayo worked hard — but hard work wasn’t enough. She never earned enough to save, invest, or build security. Tragically, she passed away during a near-term pregnancy. Ayo had chosen work when she deserved rest and maternity care, because her supplemental income had quietly become the family’s lifeline.

Across Nigeria, women like Ayo are overrepresented in the informal economy in roles like petty trading, domestic work, and caregiving. These roles are essential, yet consistently undervalued and underpaid.

How Did We Get Here?

Cultural expectations have boxed women into “supportive” roles. They are often viewed as supplemental earners, even when their income keeps the household afloat. I recall witnessing a couple’s argument where the father insisted his income was more vital because it paid school fees, dismissing his wife’s earnings which bought the children’s clothes, as unimportant.

This mindset is reinforced by the myth of “marrying up,” where women are taught to seek financial security through marriage, not through building their earnings. Meanwhile, men are conditioned to pursue wealth and lead financial decision-making.

This article doesn’t question the economic role of men, but highlights the risk in over-relying on male income in a fragile economy if marriages break down through divorce, death, or abandonment.

This lack of wealth-building mindset also has generational consequences, especially as discriminatory inheritance practices and property laws exclude women from long-term asset accumulation. Children also inherit the struggle, often dropping out of school to help their mothers, continuing the cycle of poverty.

Women’s Economic Agency

To break this cycle, women need economic agency: the ability to earn, own, save, and decide. This requires policy change, cultural shifts, and strong support systems.

Policy Needs: Fair Pay, Childcare, Maternity Protection, Land Rights, Credit

Most Nigerian women work without formal protections. For example, access to affordable public childcare would allow women to pursue work without compromising their children’s safety.

Fair pay is also still elusive. In informal work, where bargaining power is limited, women are often paid less for the same output.

Also, in informal roles like market trading or street vending, maternity leave is simply unaffordable.

Access to land and credit is another structural barrier. In many communities, women cannot inherit land, and because loans often require collateral, they are locked out of funding. Without capital, even the hardest-working woman can’t build sustainable income or pass on wealth.

Mindset Shift: Normalise Women as Primary Earners, Not Just Supporters

A foundational problem is the widespread belief that a woman’s income is secondary — an “extra”, not something to be relied on. This mindset diminishes the value of women’s labour.

We need a mindset shift that recognises women as primary earners. This means treating their economic input with the same seriousness as men’s. It means recognising women who run market stalls, tailor clothes, or manage family businesses as entrepreneurs. It means teaching boys and girls alike that a woman’s financial power is not a threat, but an asset.

This way they are more likely to be included in decision-making, from budgeting to property investment. They will have a say in how money is spent, saved, or inherited, and are less likely to be left destitute when economic shocks hit the household.

Support Systems: Co-ops, Business Collectives, Financial Literacy

In many communities, women already support each other through informal savings groups — esusu, ajo, adashe. These cooperatives help women access credit, fund their businesses, and respond to emergencies. Strengthening and formalizing these groups can become powerful economic engines.

Women-led business networks also offer mentorship, shared resources, and collective bargaining power. And perhaps most importantly, women need access to financial literacy — training in budgeting, investment, and digital banking can mean the difference between survival and stability.

Ultimately, women’s economic agency isn’t just about gender equality — it’s about economic stability for families, communities, and the nation. Nigerian women are not waiting to be empowered — they are already holding things together. What’s needed is a system that values their work, protects their rights, and unlocks their potential.

When women earn more and control resources, families stabilise and poverty breaks. We must stop treating women’s income as invisible, supplemental, or temporary.