Illuminating gendered pathways: Exploring energy service demands in rural and peri-urban Nigeria

Abstract

Gender gaps in energy access are well documented, but evidence on who prioritises which electrical appliances and why remains limited. This paper investigates links between appliance needs, gender roles, and intra-household decision-making in rural and peri-urban Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods design, it combines individual interviews and focus group discussions with a household survey (n = 3599). Qualitatively, appliance priorities are examined together with user values — via the User Perceived Value Game — to understand what appliances mean in everyday life. Quantitatively, appliance ownership is analysed using logistic and conditional logistic regression models, linked to a measure of women’s decision-making within the household. Women and men show substantial overlap in high-priority appliances, with mobile phones, fans, and televisions consistently ranking at the top. At the same time, systematic divergences emerge, with women placing greater emphasis on fridges and blenders, whereas men prioritise radios and torches. Group deliberations mirror these patterns but also reveal how group gender composition can mute gender-specific preferences. Value narratives indicate a largely shared set of values across genders, with device-specific differences partly shaped by gender roles. Finally, higher women’s decision-making power is positively associated with ownership of selected appliances, most robustly fridges and mechanical appliances, while local infrastructure and norms appear to condition whether decision-making power translates into ownership. The findings show women’s agency in shaping household energy priorities, but also the constraints that limit whether these priorities translate into ownership. This underscores the need for gender-responsive energy interventions. • Mixed-method evidence on gendered appliance priorities in Nigeria. • Device needs overlap, but women rank fridges & blenders higher, men radios & torches. • Gender composition of group discussions can mute gender-specific needs. • Women’s decision-making power is linked with fridge and mechanical device ownership. • Energy interventions should be paired with efforts to open up gender norms.