Making Markets Work for Rural Women: Exploring Barriers and Policy Options

Authors

Bukar Mustapha PhD, University of MaiduguriFollow

Keywords

Agricultural Markets, Economic Empowerment, Women

Abstract

Rural women are the backbone of small-scale agriculture in Nigeria, yet their connections to formal markets are minimal, which undermines the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5.  This study identifies the barriers inhibiting rural women markets paritciaption and explores strategies for sustaining women's economic empowerment programmes.

A survey approach and desk review methods were applied fr the analysis. The findings revealed that poorer representation in producer organisations, strict cultural norms, limited access to credit, and inadequate infrastructure are the major barriers. This suggests that policies and reforms are crucial for addressing gender-based constraints and enhancing the market participation of rural women.

Author Bio

Dr. Mustapha is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Maiduguri. He earned a PhD in Economics from Universiti Putra Malaysia and holds degrees from Strathclyde University, UK, and the University of Maiduguri. His research focuses on economic development and policy. He brings experience from both academia and the banking sector.

Issue

No. 2

Volume

49

First Page

37

Last Page

49

Recommended Citation

Mustapha, Bukar PhD (2025) "Making Markets Work for Rural Women: Exploring Barriers and Policy Options," Bullion: Vol. 49: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://dc.cbn.gov.ng/bullion/vol49/iss1/3