Abstract

Food and nutrition insecurity remain persistent challenges in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa despite recent improvements in agricultural productivity and rural development. Access to credit is widely recognised as an important instrument for improving rural household welfare by enabling investment, smoothing consumption, and mitigating income shocks. However, the welfare effects of credit depend not only on access itself but also on intra-household decision-making regarding borrowing and resource allocation. This study examines how gendered decision-making in credit access influences household food and nutrition outcomes in rural Nigeria.
Using survey data from 2,216 farming households collected through a multistage sampling procedure, we analyse three patterns of credit decision-making: male dominance, female dominance, and joint decision-making. A multivalued treatment effects (MVTE) model is employed to account for the potential endogeneity of decision-making patterns. Household nutrition outcomes are measured using per capita food expenditure, household dietary diversity score (HDDS), and household food insecurity access score (HFIAS).
The results reveal significant differences across decision-making structures. Households in which credit decisions are made jointly by spouses record significantly higher food expenditure, greater dietary diversity, and lower food insecurity than households characterised by female dominance. By contrast, male-dominated credit decision-making is associated with lower food expenditure, lower dietary diversity, and higher food insecurity relative to female dominance. Compared with joint decision-making, male dominance is also associated with significantly poorer nutrition outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of intra-household bargaining and gender relations in shaping how access to credit translates into household nutrition outcomes. The study concludes that policies promoting joint financial decision-making and strengthening women’s participation in credit decisions can contribute to improved household nutrition and welfare in rural Nigeria.