Cross-Border Trade and Infrastructure: A Gender Analysis of Welfare Outcomes in Nigeria

Efobi Uchenna

doi:10.1177/2158244019844076

Abstract

This study provides an ex ante analysis of the welfare effect from the improvement of border road infrastructure in Nigeria. It assesses how changes in the price of food commodities induced by bord...

Highlights

Road infrastructure is one important means of cross-border trade between Nigeria and its neighbors, especially those in the Western Africa region
This study aims to examine the welfare effect that would arise from improving Seme border road infrastructure, with a focus on gender differences
In relation to gender and poverty, for instance, this study considers the extent to which the effect of higher prices of imported goods resulting from poor road infrastructure differs depending on the gender of the household head

Summary

Introduction

Road infrastructure is one important means of cross-border trade between Nigeria and its neighbors, especially those in the Western Africa region. Both formal and informal trading activities require this form of infrastructure to transport imported and exported goods from the source to the destination market. As informal cross-border trade alone is estimated to account for around 20% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP; Blum, 2014), road infrastructure clearly matters for the country’s economy. The borders are an important source of livelihoods for women, who constitute a major proportion of cross-border traders. In the western and central parts of Africa, 60% of traders who use border access are women (Afrika & Ajumbo, 2012). The main traded items are vegetable oil, household items, rice, and other agricultural produce

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