Customary Law, Law and Women Rights to Inheritance and the Challenges

This study examines and identifies factors, including the patriarchy, cultural practices, lack of education, poor representation of women in government structures, religion, and legal factors undermined by traditional norms that impede women’s inheritance rights to land in different parts of Nigeria. The denial of women’s inheritance rights to land has greatly contributed to rampant poverty amongst women in Nigeria. The paper is written in the context of customary law, the common law and legislation as a great majority of people in Nigeria conduct their activities in accordance with and subject to customary law specific to a particular area or community. The study also cites various court cases demonstrating that daughters and widows don’t inherit either from their father or husband’s estate. Lastly, the study recommends that customary law should be reviewed to remove clauses that don’t protect and violate the right of widows, women and girls.