Beiträge / Articles: Mind the Gap: The Realities, Complexities, and Opportunities to Advance Female Education in Nigeria

Summary Education is one of the defining features of human civilization. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 evangelizes inclusive and equitable access to quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities without recourse to gender. Nigeria has made giant strides in bridging the gender gap associated with access to education. However, gender disparity in access to education remains a perennial problem, given that females encounter barriers ranging from cultural stereotypes, harmful religious sentiments, systemic impediments, a lack of political will and other complex socio-economic challenges. This paper sketches the education system, illuminates the socio-economic and infrastructural challenges to education on a broader level and analyzes the perennial and contemporary challenges to female education in Nigeria. It outlines potential trajectories and opportunities for a robust multistakeholder partnership framework anchored on shared interest to bridge the gender divide in educational access and advance female education in Nigeria.