Nigeria, April 12 -- The construction industry is widely considered to be one of the world's largest industrial employers of labour, and is linked to all other sectors of countries' economies. It presents a path to empower women economically but it tends to be dominated by men.

In spite of past initiatives in many parts of the world to increase their participation in the construction industry at all levels, women remain a minority. This is not only an issue of equitable gender representation but one of meeting the industry's needs. Researchers have identified skills shortages as a problem in construction. Attracting more women to careers in the industry could help bridge these gaps.

In Nigeria, women make up only 16.3% of the constructi...