Scalable solutions to close gender gaps in Nigeria

Faster and more inclusive growth is needed for Nigeria to make significant progress towards reducing poverty.

Abstract

Faster and more inclusive growth is needed for Nigeria to make significant progress towards reducing poverty. Addressing the sizable gender gaps and the drivers that undermine women’s economic empowerment is a strategic pathway to achieving inclusive economic growth in Nigeria. A recent World Bank study estimates that closing gender gaps in key sectors of the Nigerian economy would provide a boost of at least US9.3 billion dollars (2.3% of overall GDP). Yet, to fully unlock women and girls’ potential and advance Nigeria’s inclusive development agenda, Nigerian policy makers and their development partners must take an evidence-based approach to addressing these gaps, identifying programs and policies proven to be effective, and the key partners poised to deliver them. This evidence note highlights five such solutions: economic inclusion, innovative financing, land interventions, adolescent girl’s programming, and childcare services, that have been rigorously tested, found effective, and could be adapted, piloted, and scaled to contexts across Nigeria.

This is an output from the Africa Gender Innovation Lab programme.

Amolegbe, Khadijat Busola; Brudevold-Newman, Andrew Peter; Fashogbon, Ayodele Emmanuel; Geist, Amy Elizabeth Copley; Vaillant, Julia. Scalable Solutions to Close Gender Gaps in Nigeria (English). Nigeria Gender Innovation Lab Washington, D.C. World Bank Group, 2023

Scalable solutions to close gender gaps in Nigeria

Published 1 November 2023