Barriers to women leadership and managerial aspirations in Lagos, Nigeria: An empirical analysis

This study investigated the barriers faced by women managers in the public and private organizations in moving to the topmost level of their managerial career. A sample of three hundred and ninety-seven (397) women managers spread across major relevant sub-sectors of the Nigerian economy (that is, manufacturing, banking, insurance sub-sectors and the public service sub-sector) and an additional sample of fifty (50) male respondents who were top managers from public and private organizations in Nigeria were exposed to statistically validated questionnaires and oral interviews that measured their perceptions on the barriers faced by women managers. It was discovered that a significant relationship existed between the gender stereotype of a woman manager and her career aspiration, and that women managers possessed all the attributes for top management, but what affected them were the individual factors (gender-imposed) and organizational factors within their context of operation. Suggestions were on how the barriers could be broken and they include: gender-sensitivity in the organization, leadership training and development for women, women education /education of the girl child and mentoring, among others. Also, the development of relevant skills in management was recommended for women, to make them effective leaders and managers.