22.3% of Households in Nigeria Have Female Breadwinners – NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that 22.3% of households in Nigeria are headed by women, reflecting a 3.7 percentage point increase compared to the previous survey.

These findings were part of the 5th General Household Survey panel (GHS-panel), released by the NBS over the weekend. The survey provides an in-depth analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics.

“Additionally, female-headed households are more common in urban areas (24.9 percent) compared to rural areas (21.1 percent),” NBS said.

“Since its inception, five waves of the GHS-Panel have been conducted, with the latest, Wave 5 (2023/24), serving as a comprehensive data repository and a powerful instrument for understanding the impact of various shocks on household welfare across time,” NBS said.

“In Wave 5, a total of 4,715 households were interviewed across 518 Enumeration Areas, allowing for comprehensive data collection on consumption and agricultural activities through biannual visits.”

The report was a joint effort between the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Bank.

The report continues:

“Additionally, female-headed households are more common in urban areas (24.9 percent) compared to rural areas (21.1 percent),” NBS said.