Igbo Women in the Economic History of Lagos, 1900-1990: An Exploratory Study, Nigeria

This article examines the role of Igbo women in the economic history of Lagos. The study is important because the contributions of these women to the economic development of Lagos have not received attention in major debates on women and development. Besides, much has been written on the entrepreneurial skill of Igbo men but not the women. Therefore this paper argues that the commercial and small scale industries of Igbo women have been a factor in the development and urbanisation of Lagos. The study utilises both primary and secondary source to substantiate the facts. The primary sources include personal interview and newspaper articles, while the secondary sources comprise journals, internet and published works. This study establishes that despite the contributions of these women they have remained marginalised in government empowerment and loan acquisition. The paper concludes that government needs to encourage Igbo women to contribute effectively to national development.