Assessment of the Role of Women in Fisheries Value Chains in Akwa Ibom State: Barriers and Opportunities

Women play central roles in the fisheries value chains of Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria, yet their contributions remain undervalued and their access to productive resources and support services is disproportionately limited. This study assesses the roles, economic contributions, and structural barriers facing women at different nodes of the fisheries value chain in Uyo, Eket, and Oron Local Government Areas. Mixed methods data collection included structured surveys of 180 women across harvesting, processing, trading, and retailing segments, complemented by focus group discussions and key informant interviews with government and cooperative officials. Women were absent from mechanised harvesting but constituted 94% of all fish processors and 81% of fish retailers surveyed. Average monthly income for women traders was 38,000 Naira, compared to 74,000 Naira for male wholesale dealers. Barriers identified included limited access to credit (cited by 82%), exclusion from fishing cooperative leadership positions (67%), harassment at market checkpoints (54%), and absence of childcare infrastructure at processing sites (48%). Government support programmes had reached only 11% of women respondents. The study provides a gender-disaggregated profile of the Akwa Ibom State fisheries value chain and recommends targeted policy interventions including gender-sensitive credit schemes, mandatory female representation in cooperative leadership structures, and the provision of childcare facilities at major fish processing centres.

Keywords: women in fisheries, value chain, gender barriers, Akwa Ibom State, fish processing