THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE ECONOMY OF NIGERIA

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE ECONOMY OF NIGERIA
The saying that a woman’s place is in the kitchen has not always been true. This is because right from pre-colonial Nigeria, women have always engage in one form of economic activity or the other. In the Igbo’s during the pre-colonial era, women are involved in planting of crops like cassava, vegetables etc and selling of these products in the market. While in the Niger Delta, they are involved in planting of cassava, and vegetables, preparation of garri and selling of these products in the market. Also women participate in fishing activities in the Niger Delta areas. Similar activities also occur in the west and northern part of Nigeria .
The economic activities of women during these period (Pre-colonial to early eighties) was much less because the economy was stable. So a man can afford to take care of his family single handedly. Thus many women were sitting at home and taking care of their kids. The exception were the poor family which needed additional income, the widow and career minded women. Also the negligence of the education of the girl child contributed to this low economic activities of women.
But with the deterioration of the economy in the late 80’s, the economic activities of women began to gather much momentum. This is because many men can no longer afford to take care of their family single-handedly. Thus the women has to engage in some form of economic activity to supplement the income of their husband. Couple with the increasing awareness of girl child education, many career minded women were emerging. Thus women began to play an enormous role in the economy of the country.
Today, all sectors of our economy has enormous input from our female folks. The banking sector, civil service, petroleum industry, telecom sector and other organized private sectors have sizeable number of women with some of them rising to the pinnacle of these sectors. Also various business outfits are managed by women. Boutiques, fashion houses, cosmetics and jewellery shops are mainly managed by women. These businesses has done very well to the extent that they can give any business managed by men a run for their money. Also women are contributing their quota in the educational sector of the economy. There are large concentration of women from the nursery to tertiary institutions..
The health sector has also seen enormous contribution from members of the fairer sex. With emergence of many female doctors, nurses ( basically a female profession) and paramedics, the health sector has experience some feminine touch. Even in politics, women are beginning to emerge, giving the men a stiff competition for political positions. The ministry of women affairs was specifically created to take care of them. Also the emergence of female parliamentarians and ministers have also help their cause.The small and medium scale businesses in this country also has large women contribution.
Concluding with the speech given by Dr Evelyn Urhobo of the morgan smart foundation at the at the American congress briefing recently she said that her work has proven that when women are given the skills and capital, their businesses will succeed and families and communities will be better off. I will therefore fervently plead that as you consider to strengthen the world economy, you will know that the safest investment that you can make is on a woman at community level.