Factors Influencing Women’s Career Progression: A Study of Magami Ginnery in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State, Nigeria

The study examined the factors affecting women’s career progression in Magami ginnery in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State. The study focused on gender stereotyping, socio-cultural beliefs and organisational support. A quantitative survey design was used; both female and male employees were targeted, and these include managers and owners as well as administrative staff in Magami ginneries, Gusau. A total of 65 respondents were included, and because of the small population size, a census sampling technique was applied to ensure representation across gender. Out of the distributed questionnaires, 58 valid responses were retrieved and used for data analysis. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 27. The study employed descriptive statistics for demographic characteristics of the respondents, while the chi-square test was utilized for the hypotheses testing of the relationships between variables. The findings revealed that gender stereotyping significantly inhibits women’s access to technical and leadership roles, while socio-cultural beliefs showed a negative trend in reducing women’s career progression. The study also found that lack of organisational support is a major barrier and that it restricts opportunities for training and mentorship as well as promotion. The study concludes that entrenched gender stereotypes, restrictive cultural norms, and weak organisational support collectively constrain women’s career advancement in the ginnery industries. The study recommends strengthening organisational policies, introducing women-focused professional development and mentorship programme, and engaging community stakeholders in reshaping cultural perceptions to improve women’s career progression in Magami Ginnery in Gusau.