Women’s inheritance rights in Nigeria are shaped by a complex interplay of cultural norms, religious traditions, and a plural legal system encompassing statutory, customary, and Islamic law. These intersecting structures often constrain women’s access to property and economic resources, reinforcing gendered inequalities. Yet, women actively negotiate these constraints, employing strategies that range from kinship networks to legal awareness to assert their rights. This study critically examines women’s inheritance rights through a combination of socio-legal analysis and empirical case studies drawn from Northern, Southwestern, and Middle-Belt Nigeria. Using a framework informed by Critical Discourse Analysis and feminist legal theory, the paper interrogates how cultural discourses and legal structures both limit and enable women’s agency. Findings indicate that while legal pluralism and cultural expectations create significant barriers, women exercise agency through negotiation, economic participation, and mobilization of familial and community resources. The study concludes with recommendations for culturally responsive legal reforms and policy interventions aimed at enhancing women’s inheritance rights.
Anne Nnenna Ezeogueri-Oyewole (Thu,) studied this question.