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IWD 2024: It Will Take 50 Years to Close OECD Gender Pay Gap—PwC
By Adedapo Adesanya
A new study from top consultancy firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), has shown that it would take more than half a century to close the average gender pay gap across all 33 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.
To mark International Women’s Day 2024, PwC has released two studies, the Women in Work Index and Inclusion Matters, finding that global progress on achieving gender parity at work continues at a sluggish rate.
Now in its 12th edition, the latest data from the 2024 Women in Work Index (WiW Index) measures progress towards gender equality at work across the OECD, taking in five indicators that frame PwC’s analysis and measure various indicators of gender equality in the workplace, one of which is the gender pay gap.
PwC said that despite some progress over the past decade, this year’s analysis shows there is still a considerable way to go to reach gender parity at work across all five indicators.
Over the last decade, the average Index score increased from 56.3 in 2011 to 68 in 2022. In the latest Index update, the average OECD score improved by approximately two points from a score of 66 in 2021 to 68 in 2022.
Between 2021 and 2022, the majority of the improvement across the OECD was driven by an increase in the female labour force participation rate from 70.8 per cent to 72.1 per cent and a fall in the female unemployment rate from 6.4 power to 5.3 per cent.
However, the average gender pay gap across the OECD widened from 13.2 per cent to 13.5 per cent over this period. This shows that despite greater participation, women remain in a considerably weaker position in terms of labour market returns as compared to men.
Since the inception of the Index in 2011, the gender pay gap has been one of the indicators with the slowest improvement, narrowing only three percentage points between 2011 and 2022 across the OECD.
In terms of country ranking, Luxembourg ranks first on the WiW Index, followed by Iceland and Slovenia. The top five countries on the Index in 2021 continue to rank in the top five in 2022, but the ordering has changed.
Luxembourg’s strong performance was driven by an improvement on all indicators and especially by the fact that the country continues to have the lowest gender pay gap across the OECD. At -0.2 per cent, Luxembourg’s gender pay gap is negative, meaning that on average, the median level of pay is higher for women than men. The Nordic countries, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland, all appear in the top 11.
Mexico has scored the lowest on the Index since 2018. Its poor performance in 2022 was mainly driven by a high gender pay gap of 17 per cent along with a low female labour force participation rate of 50 per cent compared to a 14 per cent gender pay gap average across the OECD and a 72 per cent female participation rate.
Australia recorded the biggest improvement in its rank, rising seven places from 17th place in 2021 to 10th place in 2022, with a 6.6-point increase in its Index score. This was driven by an improvement across all five indicators and in particular, the gender pay gap, which fell from 14.2 per cent in 2021 to 9.9 per cent in 2022.
Conversely, the UK experienced the largest fall in the ranking, dropping four places from 13th in 2021 to 17th in 2022. This was largely a relative change despite a 1.1 point increase in the UK’s Index score, implying that the UK is being outpaced by other countries in terms of progress made towards achieving gender equality at work. The UK’s gender pay gap also increased from 14.3 per cent in 2021 to 14.5 per cent in 2022.
PwC’s Inclusion Matters research confirms that disparity in pay is a pain point for women in the workplace. It found that only 39 per cent of women feel they are being fairly rewarded financially for their work.
PwC drew insights from its Global Hopes and Fears Survey 2023, to compile the Inclusion Matters research, sharing fresh gender-focused perspectives from close to 54,000 workers globally, almost 23,000 of whom are women.
The research includes a Workplace Inclusion Indicator Index that measures three key dimensions of inclusion: belonging, fairness, and inclusive decision-making – and found that a statistically significant gender gap in favour of men.
The research found that there is a significant gap between the inclination of men and women to ask for promotions (-9 points) and pay raises (-8 points). However, women with Inclusion Index scores in the top quartile are 1.4 times more likely to ask for a raise, and 1.5 times more likely to ask for a promotion. They are also 2.2 times more likely to recommend their employer as a place to work.
Women’s turnover intentions increased (+8 points) this year with one in four women planning to change employers in the next 12 months, just slightly below the turnover intention rate for men at 27 per cent. Highlighting a further reason why inclusion matters, women with higher inclusion scores are 1.2 times less likely to change employers.
The report also finds that inclusion is positively correlated with self-driven development and women feeling higher levels of inclusion are 1.7 times more likely to be actively seeking out opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
It was also found that inclusion supports greater readiness from women to future-proof their careers which will be critical in driving gender equity gains at work. Women with high inclusion scores foresee greater benefits to their jobs from AI (+6 points), have a clear sense of how the skills their jobs require will change in the next five years (+14 points), and are more confident their employers will support with upskilling on key development skills (+21 points).
Both women and men who have hybrid work patterns – defined as having a mix of in-person and remote working – have the highest inclusion scores when it comes to work patterns. Women with higher inclusion scores are also less likely to be feeling the impact of overwork and 1.4 times less likely to say their workloads are frequently unmanageable.
It was also confirmed that job level matters as women in senior executive and management positions felt significantly higher levels of workplace inclusion than women in non-management positions (+9 points).
Millennial women feel the highest level of inclusion in the workplace, followed by Gen Z. However, Gen Z is the only generation where women feel similarly included to men.
Women working in the technology industry had the highest Inclusion Index score across all 26 industries included in the research and were one of only four industries for which women had slightly higher inclusion scores than men.
Speaking on the result, Ms Olusola Adewole, Partner and Workforce Transformation Leader, West Market Area, PwC, said “At PwC, we truly believe that inclusion matters in driving progress towards gender parity. Our research shows workplace inclusion is an important lever in propelling women’s development and advancement. A workplace where women feel that they belong, are included in decision-making, and are treated equitably is a workplace where they can thrive.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A petition has been filed against the chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Ahmed Farouk.
The petition was written by the president of the Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Mr Dangote asked the agency to look into the finances of the head of the petroleum industry regulator, alleging the man is living far above his legitimate means as a public officer.
In the protest letter filed by his legal counsel, Mr Ogwu Onoja (SAN), the businessman claimed the NMDPRA chief spent over $7 million to educate his children, four in number, in Switzerland.
The petition, dated and submitted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, and received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, also claimed that Mr Ahmed paid upfront for a six-month period, without any lawful source of income to justify such expenditure.
It also alleged that NMDPRA boss used his office to siphon and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, actions which he claimed had fuelled public outrage and recent protests by various groups.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and, in doing enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of Public funds running into millions of dollars.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over 7million dollars of Public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” a part of the petition read.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement are gross acts of corrupt practices for which your Commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” another part added.
“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five (5) years without option of fine,” it reminded the ICPC, urging it to act decisively by investigating the allegations against Mr Ahmed and prosecuting him if found culpable, stressing that the matter is already in the public domain, as this would help uphold justice and protect the image of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Dangote promised to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and impunity against the NMDPRA chief when required.
By Adedapo Adesanya
A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has died at the age of 71.
Justice Muhammad reportedly passed away at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, about two weeks before his 72nd birthday, which would have fallen on December 31.
His death was confirmed on Tuesday in Abuja by the Bauchi State Governor, Mr Bala Mohammed, in a condolence message issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Mukhtar Gidado.
Governor Mohammed noted that Justice Muhammad was a distinguished son of Bauchi State whose life and career were marked by dedication, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
“The late jurist was a venerable and accomplished legal icon who rose through the ranks of the judiciary with diligence and distinction, serving as a Judge of the High Court, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice of the Supreme Court, and ultimately as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 to 2022,” he said.
According to the governor, Justice Muhammad was widely respected for his legal acumen, discipline, and immense contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria’s judicial system.
He added that the conferment of the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the late jurist was a testament to his outstanding service to the nation.
Mr Mohammed extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, his friends, colleagues in the legal profession, and the people of Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole.
Also, the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS) lauded the former jurist in its condolence message.
In the statement titled NAMLAS Condolence Message on the Passing of Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, the association described his death as a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary and the nation.
“The Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students receives with profound sorrow the news of the passing of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, former Chief Justice of Nigeria. His demise is a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary, the legal profession, the Muslim Ummah, and the nation at large.”
NAMLAS described the late jurist as a towering figure of integrity, humility and unwavering commitment to justice, noting that throughout his judicial career, he exemplified fairness, courage and fidelity to the rule of law.
The association said that as Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammad discharged his responsibilities with wisdom and restraint, leaving behind a legacy that would continue to guide generations of legal practitioners.
Beyond his judicial service, NAMLAS highlighted his role as a mentor to young Muslim law students across the country, describing him as a fatherly figure and a source of encouragement.
“To NAMLAS, the late Chief Justice was more than a jurist; he was a fatherly pillar and a source of encouragement to Muslim law students nationwide,” the statement said.
The association extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, the Nigerian judiciary, the Federal Government and the Muslim Ummah, while praying for the repose of his soul.
Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 until his retirement in 2022.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) are strengthening their collaboration to combat the diversion of petroleum products intended for domestic use and to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.
This renewed partnership was highlighted during a meeting between Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi and the NMDPRA Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, at Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.
During the engagement, Mr Adeniyi reaffirmed the service’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency cooperation, particularly in safeguarding Nigeria’s domestic energy security and ensuring that petroleum products meant for local consumption are not diverted to neighbouring countries.
He noted that collaboration between both agencies had already produced measurable results, especially through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a model for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and coordinated field operations.
He said the Nigeria Customs Service remains fully aligned with ongoing reforms in the petroleum regulatory space and will continue to provide technical input, operational feedback and border management expertise to support the implementation of new guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.
He commended the Authority for its efforts to harmonise legacy processes with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that clear and efficient export point procedures are essential as Nigeria moves from being a net importer to an emerging exporter of petroleum products.
“We welcome every initiative that strengthens energy security and ensures that the gains made in reducing cross border diversion are not reversed. Our shared responsibility is to protect national interest, support legitimate trade and maintain a transparent system that stakeholders can rely on. We will continue to work closely with sister agencies to achieve these outcomes,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Executive Director, Mr Ukoha, said the NMDPRA enjoys a longstanding and productive working relationship with the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that Operation Whirlwind remained the high point of that collaboration.
He explained that both agencies deployed personnel, exchanged intelligence and jointly monitored petroleum products in border corridors, leading to a marked reduction in cross border diversion.
Ukoha said the purpose of the visit was to brief the CGC on newly developed guidelines for designating export points for petroleum products as Nigeria’s refining capacity expands.
He said the NMDPRA is engaging key institutions, including Customs, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Nigerian Navy, to ensure the guidelines reflect operational realities before implementation.
The NMDPRA executive recalled several field operations and strategic engagements with the Customs leadership, including the joint launch of Operation Whirlwind in Yola, where both agencies reinforced their commitment to curbing diversion and securing the domestic supply chain.
He added that while enforcement had played a major role in reducing irregular movements of petroleum products, the removal of fuel subsidy had significantly reduced the economic incentive for cross border smuggling.
According to him, the authority will continue to work closely with the Customs Service to sustain progress and ensure that petroleum exports are properly regulated without exposing the country to energy security risks.
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