A gender appraisal of the impacts of flood-induced migration on livelihoods in rural Nigeria

Chukwuedozie K. Ajaero, University of the Witwatersrand
Arinze Mozie, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

This study examined the impact of the 2012 flood disasters on the livelihoods of migrant male-headed and female-headed households in five rural Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Southeastern Nigeria. These LGAs were selected because they are situated on the bank of Rivers, are vulnerable to floods, and are among the most badly devastated areas during the 2012 floods. Data were obtained using mixed methods comprising questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews. From each LGA, 60 households totaling 300 households were sampled. Descriptive statistics, Chi square, Asset index technique, and logistic regression were for data analysis. The aggregate index for the MHHs decreased from 0.4600 before, to 0.1000 after the floods, and from 0.5068 before, to 0.0108 after the floods for the FHHs. Age, occupation, income and education are the most significant predictors of livelihood security for the MHHs while income was the major predictor of livelihood security for the FHHs.