+The importance of land acquisition for women
According to World Bank data, more Nigerian men have access to land than women. Research shows that this gender gap makes it difficult for women and girls to own or inherit the land that drives economic prosperity.
A World Bank study on gender disparities in property ownership in sub-Saharan Africa found that in Nigeria, only 8.2% of women between the ages of 20 and 49 own land independently, compared to men. is 34.2%.
The ability to own and inherit land is an important driver of economic prosperity. Such large disparities between men and women in land ownership in Nigeria are indicative of systemic economic disparities that impact efforts to improve gender equality.
For example, women have limited access to land ownership in various regions of Nigeria, particularly in the southeast. Land acquisition is more common among men.
Many still believe that women should not inherit ancestral land because they are expected to leave the community upon marriage, but men continue to inherit family inheritance.
There are also concerns that if women are allowed to own land, their husbands will gain access to family land through marriage.
Meanwhile, data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2018) shows that most women in northern Nigeria own land.
Women in Adamawa, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto have the highest rate of land acquisition in Nigeria. Also, women in some parts of southern Nigeria have above-average numbers.
On average, states in southeastern Nigeria have the lowest proportion of women owning landed property.
This situation violates Articles 43 and 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides for all Nigerian men and women to acquire and own immovable property in any part of the country.
While other developing countries continue to improve economic opportunities for women, inheritance laws in many societies, including Nigeria, remain strongly biased against women and girls.
For example, parental bequests of material wealth and human capital represent central forms of intergenerational transfers that have far-reaching implications for long-term development.
At low levels of development, land is an important asset and an essential source of livelihood. Naturally, societies have long developed rules governing how land is transferred across generations. Women in many developing countries face legal barriers that prevent them from inheriting property.
Kafilat Taiwo is a data journalist and research executive at Dataphyte with a background in mass communications. She uses research and data to tell stories about health, accountability, gender, solutions journalism, and investigative reporting to influence change and development.
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