What does gender equality and high oil prices have in common in Nigeria?

Low oil prices wouldn't make her happy!

Photo credit: Trocaire on Flickr

An economist.com article quoting a 2008 “Demographic and Health Survey” that looked at the human impact of oil price changes makes one to conclude that there exists a relationship between gender equality and high oil prices. Even low oil prices! With low oil prices, there should be a rise in gender inequality in the Southern states of Nigeria when compared to their Northern colleagues.

High oil prices were linked to childhood malnutrition and high primary school drop-out rates in the Southern States. One wonders if the same correlation follows now that low oil prices have kicked in.

Furthermore, as every Nigerian knows, high oil prices were the doom of the agriculture industry. The article makes interesting reading.