THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN URBAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM: A STUDY ON FEMALE COMMERCIAL TRICYCLE RIDERS IN LOKOJA METROPOLIS, 2001-2021

Transportation system in Nigeria is majorly occupied by the male gender and has given little or no opportunity for the female gender to be involved. Women are believed to be care givers and are seen not to be fit for the job. Women who have interest in the occupation cannot take up the occupation because of the societal stereotype, because commercial transportation business has hitherto been ascribed to the male gender alone, thereby making many women who have interest in it to remain unemployed and unable to engage themselves in the career of their choice. With the advent of civilization and globalization there has been a changing role of women in most sectors of work force. This change also applies to the transport sector. The study examines the changing role of women in the transport sector with reference to the tricycle subsector by focusing on the female tricycle riders in Lokoja metropolis. The study adopted the historical methodology and relied on the use of both primary and secondary data in the presentation of the narrative. The study concludes that women have contributed to the urban transport system in Lokoja through their involvement in commercial tricycle riding, a business sector hitherto dominated by men. This paradigm shift demonstrated clearly that women are not petrified to take up new roles in the development of the society. Therefore, women should be encouraged to contribute their quota to the growth and development of the society in every sector of the economy