Impact of Gender Inclusion Policies on Women's Participation in Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of gender inclusion policies on women’s participation in science and technology in Nigeria, using Abuja as a case study. A mixed-methods design was adopted, involving 200 female STEM students across selected tertiary institutions. Socio-economic profiling revealed that 65% of participants were undergraduates, 76% were single, and 44% were aged between 23–27 years, with a mean household income of ₦118,500. Only 19% were employed full-time, and 51% lacked access to STEM mentorship. Participation levels were high at the academic entry point, with 94% currently enrolled in STEM programs, 62% having attended science-related events, and 58% having completed internships. However, deeper engagement was limited: only 19% had published academic work, and 29% had mentored others. Structural Equation Modelling identified five significant predictors of STEM interest: access to mentorship (β=0.428, p<0.001), level of education (β = 0.342, p < 0.001), household income (β = 0.245, p < 0.001), age group (β = 0.187, p < 0.001), and geographic region (β = 0.156, p = 0.005). Marital status and employment status were not significant. The model explained 64.7% of the variance (R² = 0.647). Perceptions of gender policies were mixed. While access to education (mean = 3.18) and policy awareness (3.04) were rated positively, institutional culture (2.49) and leadership inclusion (2.36) fell below the 2.5 acceptance threshold. Barriers ranked highest included gender stereotypes (mean rank = 6.87), lack of female mentors (6.12), and limited research access (5.93). These findings highlight persistent socio-cultural and structural challenges despite policy advances.