Assessing Social Support Networks for Widows in Rural Bauchi State, North East Nigeria

Widowhood in rural northern Nigeria is accompanied by profound social, economic, and cultural challenges that severely compromise women's wellbeing and their children's welfare. This study assesses the social support networks available to widows in rural communities of Bauchi State, focusing on Tafawa Balewa and Kirfi local government areas. A descriptive survey design is employed, with data collected from 80 widows and community welfare workers through structured questionnaires and interview guides. Frequencies and percentages are used in data analysis. Findings reveal that widows in the study communities largely depend on extended family support, which is often inconsistent and conditional on compliance with cultural expectations including levitate marriage practices. Formal social support structures such as government welfare offices and professional social work services are effectively absent from the rural communities studied. Women-led support groups provide limited but important peer networks. Children in widow-headed households are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and school dropout. Recommendations include establishing government-funded widow support programmes in rural local government areas, training community welfare workers in social support facilitation, and engaging religious leaders to challenge harmful widowhood practices that further isolate women. This study provides empirical evidence for improving social welfare policy targeting widows in the North East geopolitical zone. Keywords: widowhood, social support, rural communities, Bauchi State, women's welfare