Masculinity, Perceived Economic Hardship, and Fertility Transition in Nigeria: An Ethnographic Perspective

Abstract

Men are often portrayed as obstacles to lower fertility in Africa because they support patriarchal values. This view misses a more complicated story in which men’s positions vis-à-vis gender inequality, marriage, fatherhood, and fertility-related goals and practices are diverse and changing. Methods: This article draws on evidence from 30 years of ethnographic study in southeastern Nigeria to describe and explain men's views and practices regarding fertility limitation. The primary methods are participant observation and open-ended, semi-structured interviews, including yearly follow-up with a sub-sample. Results: The findings show that Nigerian men are increasingly supportive of having fewer children. Further, one issue stands out in men’s motivations to reduce the number of children they father: money. Most Nigerian men explain fertility transition, and particularly the impetus for their own choice to have fewer children, in terms of financial hardship. Four routine financial “emergencies” associated with contemporary manhood are identified and illustrated. Conclusion: The study points to a contradiction at the core of Nigerian men’s growing support for fertility reduction. While having fewer children is historically associated with positive social and economic indicators, men who favor lower fertility see it as a necessity created by hardship connected to the struggle for money.