Three Ways Women Can Establish Financial Independence in Nigeria

One of the most critical steps for women to secure their rights in Nigeria is to establish scal independence. It is almost impossible to act independently when someone other than yourself is paying for your food, housing, education, or any of the other myriad of costs required to live a free life. Fiscal independence is critical to personal autonomy and a ords women the opportunity to be the masters of their fate. Securing funds and means for protecting those funds is pivotal to allow women of all ages in Nigeria to ourish while de ning what success means to them. Additional money allows you the time and space to explore the leisure and learning opportunities that interest you most. There are various strategies women have implemented all over the country to try and establish themselves as independently wealthy. Here are a few methods you might want to consider as you continue to develop your independence.

Change Childhood Norms

One of the rst steps women need to take to establish a culture of economic independence is to start changing gender norms at a young age. When raising children, it’s imperative that young girls, in particular, are allowed to explore work outside traditional means. Working alongside religious leaders might be the most e ective way to establish this change. Religious leaders have a profound impact on their community. Convincing them of the signi cance of allowing girls to explore di erent interests could profoundly a ect communities at the grassroots level.

Encourage Inclusive Hiring Practices

If you are a woman (or man) presently working at a company and value women developing scal security, one of the most straightforward steps you can take is to be inclusive in your hiring practices. While everyone wants the cream of the crop, there is tremendous value in accepting employees with fewer skills, but perhaps a sel sh interest in the eld and a strong desire to prove themselves. Being allies to women who are attempting to assert themselves nancially requires those in hiring positions to be willing to take more chances on women working in their company.

Value Savings

Making an e ort to grow your nancial literacy will have a tremendous impact on your economic independence. Take time to research strategies and methods of saving that work well for you. Developing a weekly and monthly savings schedule is a great way to make sure you’re putting your money away. Placing some of your savings into a growth account is an even better way to make your money work to your bene t. There are also plenty of little steps you can take outside saving to improve your nances. Do your best to cut unnecessary expenses, especially if you are newer to the workforce. Maybe the most signi cant di erence you can make is by focusing your spending on assets instead of liabilities. Spending money on property is worthwhile because, generally speaking, over the long term, property values go up. Investing money in a car is a liability because vehicles tend to cost money, and their pro tability drops the second you drive it o a lot. Taking small steps in spending and saving habits will develop into sustainable wealth over the long haul and requires minimal e ort.