GENDER OPPORTUNITY GAP AND WAGE DIFFERENTIALS IN THE BANKING SECTOR OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of gender opportunity gap on wagedifferentials in the banking sector of Nigeria, using Access Bank PLC as a unit of analysis.Specifically, the study investigated the effects of unequal leadership promotion on basic salarydifferentials between men and women, as well as how unequal work transfer opportunitiesaffect housing allowance payments to men and women. The study employed a survey anddescriptive research design. Questionnaires and interview methods were used for datacollection. The sample size was 320. Data analysis revealed that there is no significantrelationship between unequal leadership promotion and base pay differences for men andwomen and that there is no significant relationship between unequal work transferopportunities and housing allowance differentials for men and women. This study bridges agap in the existing literature by examining specific organizational practices that perpetuategender-based wage differentials in the Nigerian banking sector. Based on the findings, it wasrecommended that banks should develop clear and unbiased promotion criteria that areaccessible to all employees and regularly review compensation structures to identify andaddress any discrepancies.