An Empirical Investigation of Imposter Syndrome and Professional Self-Efficacy Among Female Managers in Nigerian Telecommunications Companies

Imposter syndrome, characterised by persistent doubts about one's competence despite demonstrated success, has important implications for professional advancement and psychological well-being, particularly among women in male-dominated industries. Nigeria's telecommunications sector, with growing but still underrepresented female management, provides a contextually rich setting for this investigation. This study empirically examines the relationship between imposter syndrome and professional self-efficacy among female managers in Nigerian telecommunications companies. A cross-sectional survey is applied to 220 female managers from five major telecoms firms in Lagos and Abuja, selected through purposive sampling. The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale are administered alongside a questionnaire capturing management level, years of experience, and perceived gender bias. Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and path analysis are performed in SPSS and AMOS. Literature from Nigerian organisational psychology identifies imposter syndrome as significantly more prevalent among female than male managers, with its negative effects on self-efficacy compounded by gender-based workplace microaggressions. Cognitive-Behavioural Models of imposter syndrome and Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory provide the theoretical framework. This study fills a significant gap in Nigerian gender and organisational psychology literature. Findings will inform women's leadership development programming in Nigeria's telecommunications industry. Keywords: imposter syndrome, professional self-efficacy, female managers, telecommunications, Nigeria.