GENDER AND SOCIO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS IN ONITSHA AND NKWO NNEWI MAIN MARKETS IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
Abstract
This article explores the intricate social and political dynamics shaping power relations between men and women traders in the vibrant commercial environments of Onitsha and Nkwo Nnewi Main Markets, two key economic hubs in south-eastern Nigeria.A historical glace at the political development in the two markets under review show that power structures and decision-making processes in these markets are often dominated by the male gender, especially in respect to leadership positions, leaving the female gender with limited opportunities for advancement in such spheres. Why? Through qualitative interviews and field observations, the study examines how gender influences access to resources, decision-making processes, and market opportunities within these trading spaces. It highlights the historical context of women’s participation in trade, the challenges they face, including socio-cultural biases and economic disparities, and the strategies employed to navigate these barriers. The findings reveal a complex interplay of cooperation and competition between male and female traders, highlighting instances of solidarity as well as conflict. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of gendered power relations in informal economies, showcasing the resilience of women traders and their critical role in local economic development. The article ultimately calls for greater recognition of gender dynamics in policy formulation and market regulations to promote equity within the trading sector.
References
Aliegba, B. A., Adadu, Y. & Usman Yusuf Alhaji, U. Y. (2025). Impact of patriarchal norms on economic security of women in North Central Nigeria. Kashere Journal of Politics and International Relations. Vol. 3(2): 439 – 452.
Bianco, M., Lombe, M.&Bolis, M. (2017). Challenging gender norms and practices through women’s entrepreneurship. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship. No. 9. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320726334_Challenging_gender_norms_and_practices_through_women’s_entrepreneurship
Brendon, P., Gamberoni, E. & Sear, C. (n.d.). Women and trade in Africa: Realizing the potential. World Bank. Retrieved from https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/115591468211805723/pdf/825200WP0Women00Box379865B00PUBLIC0.pdf
Chukwu, M. O. (2019). Gender, markets, and power: An ethnographic study of Igbo urban trading spaces. Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishing.
Chukwu, O. (2019). Market politics in Nigeria: The rise of the traders' voice. Nsukka Press.
Ewell, H. & Rietveld, A. (2025). Using theatre to help transform mindsets around power and gender relations. Gender Impact Platform. Retrieved from https://gender.cgiar.org/news/using-theatre-help-transform-mindsets-around-power-and-gender-relations#:~:text=The%20workshop%20topics%20addressed%20complex,and%20edited%20the%20blog%20afterwards
Ezeani, E. (2015). Traditional authority and modern governance in Igboland. Awka: Igbo Studies Press.
Francis, Jane. (2022). Female traders clash with landowners in Onitsha. The Easterner. Retrieved from https://theeasterner.com/female-traders-clash-with-landowners-in-onitsha/
Krawczyk, K.A., King, B.A., Oeding, N., Williams, S. (2023). The role of market associations in facilitating women’s informal political participation and economic development in Ghana. In: Krawczyk, K.A., King, B.A. (eds) Women’s contributions to development in West Africa: Globalization, urbanization and development in Africa . Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8190-6_7
NANTS (2024). NANTS and the role of women in Nigeria trade ecosystem. National Association of Nigerian Traders. Retrieved from https://nants.org/women-in-trade-nigeria-nants-empowering-female-traders/
Ndukuba, E. (2018). Anambra traders protest against scuttling of election by government officials. Business Day. Retrieved from https://businessday.ng/politics/article/anambra-traders-protest-against-scuttling-of-election-by-government-officials/
Ndukuba, E. (2020). Onitsha electronics market union crisis deepens as secretary-general suspended. Business Day. Retrieved from https://businessday.ng/news/articles/onitsha-electronic-market-union-crisis-deepens-as-secretary-general-suspended/
Nwankwo, N. E. (2017). Women’s economic empowerment? Gendered strategies and institutions in Oke Arin market, Lagos. School of International Development, University of East Anglia. Retrieved from https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/66836/1/PhD_Thesis_submission_Nkechi_Nwankwo.pdf
Nze, C. (2020). Urban planning and the politics of space in Nigerian markets. Lagos: Lighthouse Academic Publishers.
Obienusi, I. E &Chikwendu, C. P. (2020). Patriarchy and culture: The position of women in the rural Igbo community. Odibendi. Vol.1(1): 171 – 189.
Ojinta, R. I. (2018). Barriers to women leadership of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. Walden University Scholarly Works. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/dissertations/article/7360/&path_info=Ojinta_waldenu_0543D_21631.pdf
Okeke, J. (2017). Market women and the politics of resistance in Southeastern Nigeria. Journal of Gender and African Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 40–58.
Okeke, N. (2017). Breaking the glass ceiling: Women's political mobilization in Nnewi. The Vanguard, 24 July
Okonkwo, N. (2016). Female traders continue protest in Onitsha over closure of market. Vanguard. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/female-traders-continue-protest-onitsha-closure-market/amp/
Onuoha, I. (2014). Leadership and power in Nigerian informal economies. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
Opinion Nigeria. (2023). Just in: Tension in Onitsha market over LGA’s planned demolition of shops. Opinion Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.opinionnigeria.com/just-in-tension-in-onitsha-market-over-lgas-planned-demolition-of-shops/
Pierotti, R. S., Sophia Friedson-Ridenour, S. &Olayiwola, O. (2022). Women farm what they can manage: How time constraints affect the quantity and quality of labor for married women’s agricultural production in southwestern Nigeria. World Development. Vol. 152. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X21004150
Punch Newspapers. (2022). Market women, land owners clash in Onitsha. Punch Newspapers. Retrieved from https://punchng.com/market-women-landowners-clash-in-onitsha/
Vanguard News. (2021). Ex-leaders, stakeholders of Onitsha main market call for election. Vanguard. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/09/ex-leaders-stakeholders-of-onitsha-main-market-call-for-election/
Vanguard News. (2022, July). Market women protest displacement in Onitsha. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/07/market-women-protest-displacement
Vanguard. (2022). Over 500 women protest ejection from Onitsha market. Vanguard News, 8 Apr.
Vanguard. (2022). Women’s role in market rebuilding: A case study of Onitsha’s recovery efforts. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/04/womens-role-market-rebuilding-onitsha/
Copyright (c) 2025 IJO- International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ( E:ISSN 2811-2466 ) (P.ISSN: 2384-6097)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Author(s) and co-author(s) jointly and severally represent and warrant that the Article is original with the author(s) and does not infringe any copyright or violate any other right of any third parties and that the Article has not been published elsewhere. Author(s) agree to the terms that the IJO Journal will have the full right to remove the published article on any misconduct found in the published article.
