Gender-Based Discrimination in Managerial Promotions and Its Effect on Women’s Career Outcomes in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry

This study empirically investigates gender-based discrimination in managerial promotion processes and its effects on women's career outcomes in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, where male dominance in senior technical and leadership roles is well-documented. Women comprise a small fraction of management in Nigeria's upstream and downstream petroleum sectors, and understanding the systemic mechanisms sustaining this inequality is critical for evidence-based HR policy reform. The study employs a mixed-methods design, with quantitative survey data from 195 female professionals in oil and gas companies in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Warri, supplemented by qualitative narrative interviews from 18 senior female managers. Quantitative instruments include a validated Gender Discrimination at Work Scale and a Career Outcomes Inventory. Intersectionality Theory and Gender in Organisations Framework provide the theoretical grounding. Findings reveal that the majority of female respondents have experienced at least one form of gender-based discrimination in promotion-related decisions, including being bypassed for roles they believe they were qualified for, receiving informal feedback attributing non-selection to family responsibilities, and being excluded from networks critical to career advancement. Documented career outcomes including salary growth, seniority progression, and role responsibility expansion are significantly lower for women reporting higher discrimination exposure. Recommendations include mandatory gender bias training for promotion panels, formal mentoring pathways for senior female talent, and gender-audited promotion criteria. Keywords: Gender Discrimination, Managerial Promotion, Women's Careers, Oil and Gas, Nigeria.