Examining the Research Gap in Gender Wage Differentials in Nigerian Labour Markets

Gender wage differentials in Nigerian labour markets reflect both productivity differentials and discrimination, and systematically examining the research gap in this area identifies methodological and empirical priorities for gender-inclusive labour market policy. This study examined the research gap in gender wage differentials in Nigerian labour markets through systematic review and original empirical analysis. A systematic scoping review of nine databases identified 19 publications from 2018 to 2024 on gender wage gaps in Nigeria, of which only 7 used decomposition methods that separate explained from unexplained wage differentials and only 4 addressed regional variation. Original empirical analysis used the 2022 Nigeria Living Standards Survey to decompose gender wage differentials using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition for 8,200 wage-earning workers. Results showed a raw gender wage gap of 34.7 percent, with women earning 65.3 percent of male wages on average. The Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition revealed that 48.3 percent of the gap was explained by endowment differences (education, sector, and experience) and 51.7 percent was unexplained, consistent with wage discrimination. The unexplained gap was largest in the North West zone (57.4 percent) and smallest in Lagos (41.2 percent). Occupational segregation contributed 22 percent of the explained gap. Three research gaps were identified: absent longitudinal analysis, limited examination of informal sector gender differentials, and understudied discrimination in northern labour markets. Recommendations include equal pay legislation, gender budgeting, and affirmative occupational access policies.

Keywords: gender wage differential, Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, Nigerian labour market, wage discrimination, research gap