WOMEN, EDUCATION AND WORK: IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Sustainable development in Nigeria remains constrained by persistent gender disparities ineducation and labour market participation, making the nexus between women, education, andwork a critical development concern. This paper, titled Women, Education and Work:Implications for Sustainable Development in Nigeria, examined the level of access to andattainment in formal education among women and how this shapes labour marketparticipation; analyses the nature and conditions of women’s engagement in paid and unpaidwork; and evaluates the implications of these dynamics for sustainable development inNigeria. The paper adopted Human Capital Theory as its analytical framework, drawing onthe propositions of Schultz and Becker that investment in education enhances productivityand economic returns. A systematic review methodology relying on secondary data wasemployed, synthesizing recent peer-reviewed empirical and theoretical studies relevant to thepaper. Findings indicate that higher educational attainment significantly improves women’semployment prospects and career mobility, particularly in the formal sector, yet structuralconstraints such as wage disparities, occupational segregation, and care burdens limit fullrealization of returns on educational investment. The paper further established that genderinequality in education undermines long-term economic growth and weakens povertyreduction efforts. It concluded that while expanding women’s access to quality education isindispensable, sustainable development requires complementary labour market andinstitutional reforms. The paper recommended among others strengthening female educationalcompletion rates, enforcing gender-responsive employment policies, and integrating women’seconomic empowerment into national development planning.