Case studies >>Social exclusion and gender inequality in Nigeria


First published: 2009-06-01

This assessment looked at the extent to which social exclusion and gender inequality affect development programmes in Nigeria. It explored: the main drivers of social exclusion and gender inequality in Nigeria; the ways in which social exclusion and gender inequalities manifest themselves in terms of access to services and assets and how they shape the ability of certain groups to have voice and influence decisions that affect their well-being; the measures currently being undertaken by the Government of Nigeria (GoN) and DFID to address social exclusion and gender inequalities. These issues were investigated through a literature review and interviews conducted with stakeholders working at national level and in Jigawa and Lagos states. Our team then made recommendations to DFID on how to address these issues more effectively through its Country Partnership Strategy with the World Bank.

The assessment found that Nigeria's political economy is key to understanding social exclusion. Nigeria is a composite nation, dominated by three ethnic groups: the Hausa, the Igbo and the Yoruba. Whilst there is some competition for access to resources and power between these groups, this is, to some extent, managed through the federal character principle. Nigeria's economic dependency on oil, however, has allowed elites to capture and control the nation's wealth, excluding the large majority of the population, many of whom live in poverty. This concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, has led to the use of patronage networks, often formed along ethnic and family lines, to access resources. In such a way, ethnic and family ties are prioritised over citizenship rights.

The Constitution, other legal and policy frameworks support social inclusion and gender equality. However, these are weakly implemented and often more exclusionary informal norms such as ethnic bias, discrimination based on indigeneity, gender, disability, HIV status and age, among others, dominate in households, communities and broader society. Many people experience several of these drivers of exclusion and there are important regional differences in way in which they manifest themselves. The impact is usually felt in numerous ways, through limited access to basic services such as health and education, and to assets such as employment and land, as well as through general voicelessness and an inability to influence governance structures and decision-making processes. Each of these deprivations compound one another, heightening exclusion as well as deepening and sustaining poverty.

The assessment found that government efforts to address social exclusion are limited. Our team proposed a strengthened evidence base on the nature and extent of social exclusion, more effective cross-government co-ordination as well as improvements in public accountability are vital to enable the GoN to drive an agenda of social inclusion.

The study was funded by the UK Department for International Development, Nigeria (DFID). All views expressed here are those of the report authors and should not be attributed to DFID.