Abstract
The underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s formal small and medium food enterprise (SMEs) sector, despite their vital role in subsistence farming and household food production, presents a significant gap in the country’s economic development. Although women own a substantial portion of micro-enterprises, their presence diminishes significantly in formal small and medium enterprises, where they face structural barriers that limit their participation. Using a 3-wave panel dataset (2014, 2017, and 2019) from the harmonized World Bank Enterprise Survey and Generalized Linear Model (GLM), we examine the structural factors that influence women’s entry and exit in Nigeria’s fruit and seafood SMEs. We find that labor regulations, finance, infrastructure, innovation and technology, and licensing and permits have a positive and statistically significant influence on women’s entry into fruit and seafood SMEs. On the other hand, finance, infrastructure, innovation and technology, and licensing and permits have a positive and statistically significant influence on women’s exit from fruit and seafood SMEs. However, increasing women’s participation in seafood and fruit SMEs is associated with higher enterprise performance. This study calls for women-responsive policies to promote inclusive SME environments. By promoting this inclusivity, Nigeria can unlock the full potential of women in the food sector, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth and enhanced food security.
