EFFECTS OF TRADE AND

GLOBALIZATION ON WOMEN IN
NIGERIA

OMOJU, TEMIDAYO JAMES

7/16/2009

ABSTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION

This paper explores the effects of globalization and trade on women in Nigeria. It focuses
primarily on the causes of women’s powerlessness despite their significant contributions to
society. From secondary data, the analysis reveals that women’s poverty has increased as a
result of globalization and trade. Thus, there is a need for policy shift to address the perculiar
challenges faced by women.
 E FFEC TS O F TR ADE AND GLO BALIZ ATI ON O N
WOME N IN NIGERIA

The underlining guiding principle of neoliberal economy, an important component of

globalization, is that state intervention in the economic life of the people, however well-
intentional, is “counter-productive” and therefore undesirable (Uroh, 2004 in Omoju, 2009).
The major instruments of globalization include trade liberalization, devaluation of national
currencies against especially the US dollar and deregulation of the public sector or, simply,
privatization of public utilities (ibid). The social and economic consequences of these policies
have been the retrenchment of workers and consequently, massive unemployment, reduction
in government spending on social infrastructure, cut in government subsequent expenditure
increase the cost of these services (ibid).

For women the impact of market liberalization and the integration of national economy “into
the Global economy” have been “complex” and equally contradictory”. Instructively, while
the fact that neoliberal economic policies, especially the structural adjustment policy (SAP)
in developing nations have not achieved the documented and almost over – researched issue
by scholars (Mbiliyi, 1991; World Bank, 1998; 1994; Adedeji, 1994, Uroh, 2004 etc., in
Omoju, 2009), not so much attention has been paid to the fact that economic reforms and
Financial Crisis have affected women in ways worse than their men counterparts.

This paper examines the effects of Globalization and trade on women in Nigeria. Women in
Nigeria are commended and supported by family members, communities, the state and the
international environment. The goal of the study is to uncover the causes of women’s
powerlessness in spite of the huge contributions they make towards their families, states and
international communities through their economic, social, cultural and political activities.

1.1. PROBLEM STATEMENT

In Nigeria, women suffer in two ways. As women in Nigeria move into the work force, their
domestic responsibilities are not alleviated. They work two full time jobs. One in the markets,
farms or doing white collar office jobs where they are poorly paid, the second in the home
where they are paid nothing. Women double-burden-work such as working long hours in the
markets, or doing white collar jobs have often been taken for granted. Also, the privatization
of education and training has increased the cost of getting educated. When budgets are
readjusted, the female children are principally the main casualty as most of the resources are
spent to educate the male children.
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Globalization and trade now offer women opportunities to work outside their homes.
Migration of women especially for economic reasons often gives rise to exploitation and
trafficking in women in the local, regional and global levels.

Given these problems and more, this study sets out as empirical evidence to investigate these
problems and recommendations on how to minimize them.

1.2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Given the introductory comments, the following questions are asked:

1. Does access to trade necessarily empower women in Nigeria?

2. To what degree has globalization and trade affected women in Nigeria?
3. To what extent has globalization and trade reduced poverty among Nigerian
women?

1.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The specific objectives of this study are:

1. To identify the relationship between globalization, trade and women in Nigeria

2. To ascertain the effects of globalization, trade and most especially on Women in
Nigeria and therefore make recommendations towards solving their problems.

1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The result of this study will help to provide a critical understanding of women’s needs that
directly and indirectly influence their economic investment in Nigeria. The findings of this
study will assist policy makers with systematic data on the impact of globalization on women
empowerment programme in Nigeria. This study also tends to fill the gap in our knowledge
concerning the nature of obstacles and limitations faced by women and their specific needs
for moving towards their empowerment.

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

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When McLuham first talked of the idea of globalization, it was rejected. Today, that idea
which was previously rejected has, according to Onwe (2007: 145, Mbachukwu, 2008 in
Omoju, 2009), assumed “literary, economic and political” acclaim. As a result of
globalization, Nigerian women, under colonial rule, lost a great deal of authority and the
opportunity to participate in decision making due to their exclusion from all levels of
administration (Okome, 2004). They also lost maneuverability because the male-dominated
elements of society were stressed above all others and applied in social, economic and
political life. Education, although generally considered to emancipate women from traditional
oppression, did not always have this result, as colonial education emphasized preparing
women for domestic rather than leadership roles within society (ibid).

There is also evidence that in pre-colonial Nigerian society, many women (of economic and
political prominence) gained positions either through achievement or as rewards (ibid). Under
colonial rule, the opportunity for such upward mobility was considerably diminished.
According to Mba (1982) some women were able to become more involved in trade.
However, many areas of the economy that were previously reserved for women were taken
over by men and the imposition of a cash economy as well as new European firms, caused a
reversal of their fortunes (Okome, 2004). The spread of Christianity also undercut the higher
status that women had previously in pre-colonial religion. In a struggle to re-assert their
former prominence in religion, Christian women converts in indigenous churches used the
churches to regain some of their pre-colonial status (ibid).

Central to globalisation’s core features of capital and trade liberalisation is increased trade.
Though trade liberalisation may offer hopes, its concrete benefits have not been equitably
distributed (Duke, 2009). Despite the promises of liberalisation, its implementation tends to
stand in sharp contrast to the daily reality of millions of women. Of the 1.3 billion people
currently living in poverty, 70 percent are women; the majority of the world’s refugees are
women; female illiteracy is invariably higher than male illiteracy. Women and girl children
are treated as commodities in cross border prostitution rackets and the pornography industry.
As long as trade negotiations continue to treat all countries as equals, liberalisation remains a
vehicle of inequality (Musa, 2007 in Duke, 2009).

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3. METHODOLOGY

For the purpose of this study, qualitative and quantitative methods are used to gather data;
though more emphasis is laid on qualitative method. These data are principally from
secondary data.

4. FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

According to Lawason (2008) Nigerian women were involved in subsistence farming which
included bush clearing, planting, weeding, harvesting, transportation and sale of farm
produce in the recent past. In addition, they had household duties and child bearing
responsibilities. Women also engaged in petty trading which mainly involved the sale of
various agricultural products (ibid).

In Nigeria, about 56.4 percent of males and 32.38 percent of the female population were
economically active at the time of the 1991 census (National Bureau of Statistics, 2000 in
Lawason, 2008). Lawason while analysing this further wrote:

The disparity between the number of employed males and females is long-standing. Men
appear to dominate all forms of work, except petty trading . For example, in 2005, whereas
there were about 227,000 men employed as Federal Civil Servants, there were less than
40,000 women. This gap is hard to justify, especially as the distribution of the population
shows that men and women are almost equal in number. It is thus, reasonable to expect near
equality in career aspirations and advancement, but this must be predicated on paper
qualification (Federal Office of Statistics, 2006 in Lawason, 2008).

The above is also the same of international trade. Majority of the Women are not encouraged
in the act because it is seen as the preserve of men. Thus, the patriarchal society frowns at it.
According to Duke, Some evidence indicate that women are constrained from moving into
more skilled, higher-paying jobs created by trade liberalisation because they have less access
to resources, education, and time (OECD, 2005). Women are generally more constrained than
men from reaping the benefits from the expansion of trade in agriculture (Duke, 2009).
Limited access to productive resources often prevents them from adopting new technologies
or increasing their economies of scale (ibid).
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Liberalization policies, Structural adjustment programmes and financial crisis have led to job
cuts and deep- cut unemployment majorly among women in Nigeria. Full -time House wives
are more affected because as their husbands are affected as a result leading to job loss, they
bear the brunt.

According to Mustapha (2004), as liberalisation has produced gains through the growing
strength of the multilateral companies and in the informal economy, it has also created weak
conditions of work. There is high level of insecurity of employment, unhealthy working
conditions, as well as low pay. In many establishments, practices of sexual harassment and
pregnancy tests have been reported (Banks and advertising companies) (Mustapha, 2004).
Again, because women mostly dominate low-paid jobs as cleaners, clerks and junior ranks,
they tend to be the larger victims of casualisation, which is fast gaining ground in Nigeria
(ibid).

Women have also lost their jobs because of import competition and the sector reallocation of
work. Such loss of employment has mostly happened in the informal economy, small firms
and among low skilled workers where women dominate (ibid).

The Table below shows employment by age group. The highest percentage of men employed
are between the ages of 30 and 49 while the highest percentage of women are between the
ages of 20 and 39. In each age group more men than women are employed.

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Table 1: Percentage distribution of employed

population in Nigeria by age group and gender
Age group
12–19 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 60 and above
F M F M F M F M F M F M

All 2.7 4.4 9.8 11.6 10.5 13.9 8.9 13.6 5.3 9.0 3.6 6.6
employed
persons
(12-70)

Source: National modular Child Labour Survey, Nigeria, 2000/2004 (Mustapha, 2004)

5. RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

Millions of Nigerian women continue to suffer under the burdens and effects of globalization
and trade. Thus, there is a greater need for Nigeria to review the existing trade policies to be
pro- women empowerment. It is important that international cooperation replace the self
interest and competitive system found in the various international agreements to favour
African women. Women’s organizations should charge themselves up and begin to act not
only as a focal point for women but also as a pressure group seeking the betterment of
women. Finally, the import of this paper will be realised when women begin to stand their
ground and make themselves heard politically, economically, socially and especially on trade
issues and globalization.

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REFERENCES

Duke, O (2009) ‘Trade Policies, Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality’ A Paper
presented at an Expert meeting on Mainstreaming Women’s Empowerment and Gender
Equality, 10-11 March 2009, Geneva. Available at
www.unctad.org/TEMPLATES/Download.asp?docid=11184 (14 July 2009)

Federal Office of Statistics (2006) Annual Abstract of Statistics of Nigeria Labour Force.

Lawason, O (2008) ‘Female Labour Force Participation in Nigeria: Determinant and Trends’
A Paper presented at Oxford Business and Economics Conference, 22-24 June 2008,
Oxford, UK.

Mba, N (1982) ‘Nigerian Women Mobilized: Women's Political Activity in Southern

Nigeria, 1900-1965’. Berkeley, California: Research Series/University of California,
Berkeley, Institute of International Studies, No 48.

Mbachukwu, C (2008) ‘The Impact of Globalization on Women in Enugu City’ A Paper

Presented at Institute for Development, 12-16 May 2008, University of Nigeria, Enugu
Campus, Enugu.

Mbiliyi, M (1994) ‘Gender and Structural Adjustment’ Paper for the Symposium on Gender
and Structural Adjustment: Empowerment and Disempowerment, Dar Es Salaam
(February 26)

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Mustapha, H (2004) ‘Gender and Labour Market Liberalization in Nigeria’ African Labour
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=hauwa&ge=0 (15 July, 2009)

OECD (2005) Trade Working Paper No 24.

Okome, (2004) ‘Domestic, Regional and International Protection of Nigerian Women against
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Omokhodion, (2008) ‘Globalization, the Socialization of the Nigerian Women and Her
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Omoju, T (2009) ‘Impact of Globalization on Women’s Empowerment Programmes in

Nigeria: A Study of Ekiti State’ An M.Sc. Project submitted to the Institute for
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Uroh, O (2004) ‘Globalization and the Question of Gender Justice: The Nigerian Experience’
Available at www.codesria.org/Links/conferences/gender/UROH.pdf (14 July 2009)

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