Gender Diversity in Top Management and Corporate Performance in Nigeria’s Consumer Goods Sector

This study examines the relationship between gender diversity in top management positions and corporate performance in Nigeria's consumer goods sector, drawing data from listed companies on the Nigerian Exchange Group. Despite growing advocacy for gender-inclusive leadership, women remain significantly underrepresented in executive management roles across Nigerian corporations, with potential negative implications for organizational decision quality and stakeholder outcomes. A quantitative longitudinal approach was adopted, using secondary data from annual reports and corporate governance disclosures of fifteen consumer goods companies over a five-year period. The Resource Dependence Theory and the Business Case for Diversity Theory provide the theoretical framework. Findings reveal that companies with at least two female members on their boards of directors or in C-suite positions demonstrate higher return on assets, stronger brand reputation scores, and lower executive staff turnover compared to their male-dominated counterparts. The study also finds that female executives in these firms are disproportionately concentrated in HR and marketing roles rather than operations or finance, reflecting a persistent gendered division of top management labour. Recommendations include shareholder resolutions mandating gender diversity targets, structured executive mentoring pipelines for high-potential women, and regulatory guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission on gender disclosure standards. This research contributes to the growing literature on diversity management and corporate governance in Nigeria's private sector. Keywords: gender diversity, top management, corporate performance, consumer goods sector, Nigeria