Human Capital Gender Gaps: How Does Culture Matter?

Abstract

This study examines the role of culture in the gender gap in educational achievement in Nigeria. Culture is defined by ethnicity and religion. Using a nationally representative household survey, I find that, overall, women lag behind men in years of schooling. However, the gender gap varies substantially across ethnic and religious groups, with females being significantly ahead of their male counterparts in certain ethnic groups, whilst lagging behind them substantially in some other ethnic groups. Also, males and females have comparable levels of education among Christians, but females lag behind among Muslims. Females are generally disadvantaged in groups attached to an oppositional culture.