Gender in niGeria report 2012 - Economic Commission for Africa

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22 Gender in Nigeria Report 2012: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women in Nigeria shows that capital rather than productivity narrows the range of activities in which women engage. The report also shows that a majority of women (76%) rely mostly on internal funds and retained earnings, and that only about 1% obtain capital from the formal financial sector. The report corroborates work which suggests that formal financial institutions, especially banks, have not supported women entrepreneurs as much as they could have (Halkias et al., 2011). This has meant that many have had to rely on micro-finance institutions. Apart from the issues related to raising finance, women in Nigeria may also have to contend with rent-seeking behaviour (Porter et al., 2010). This often undermines their ability to make a living in the only sector where barriers to entry are actually low enough to allow their participation. Women taxpayers with dependents do not qualify for some tax exemptions that benefit their male peers. Although the World Bank (2010) does not identify taxation as an issue for women in micro-enterprises, MacCulloch (2011) has argued that it affects women’s ability to make use of the opportunities that are available to them. Although taxpayers may currently be a minority, the difference of treatment reveals a gender bias in government policy and penalises women taxpayers who support dependents. Three key issues related to taxation are identified. • Multiple taxation (fees/levies/tolls/charges) and coercive enforcement at local level. • Victimisation and penalisation of women who are not aware of their tax liabilities. • Unfair deductions. Males in paid employment are permitted to deduct expenses incurred on behalf of dependents; but women, because they are perceived to be dependents themselves, are not permitted the same deductions, even when they are the sole bread winner. 4.6 Three key livelihood issues faced by Nigerian women Based on this analysis we can make three key observations about gender and livelihoods in Nigeria. Access to land Women’s access to land, a key productive asset, is limited by patrilineal inheritance (from father to son) and by virilocal residence. Although the Nigeria Land Administration Act is egalitarian on paper, further work is required to operationalize the Act. Formal employment Women are significantly under represented in secure wage employment in both the private and public sectors. Those who have formal sector jobs are constrained by the reproductive roles they play. As a result, the majority of women occupy low level posts that offer them the flexibility they need to manage their households while working in the formal sector. They spend most of their time doing unpaid household work.
Gender in Nigeria Report 2012: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women in Nigeria 23 Access to finance and taxation The majority of women and men lack bank accounts. Micro-enterprise is now a major source of income for many Nigerians. Financial institutions should adapt their products to enable people who lack capital to access their services. This might involve introducing new products that target excluded groups, especially in the North where Sharia banking products might be more acceptable than those currently on offer. Rent seeking behaviour needs to be addressed (Porter et al., 2010). Simplifying tax obligations for the micro-enterprises sector might even increase tax revenue. Having discussed the gendered employment and economic environment, section 5 looks at education and educational opportunities for women and girls in Nigeria.
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This study was funded by the UK Dep
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Gender in niGeria report 2012 - Economic Commission for Africa

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