Abstract

Urban working-class women face persistent economic inequality shaped by intersecting social identities, including gender, ethnicity, education, marital status, and household composition. This study quantitatively examined 1,250 women across Nigerian cities to analyze the compounded effects of these factors on income, job benefits, asset ownership, and employment security. Economic inequality was operationalized using a composite Economic Inequality Index (EII), and multiple linear regression with interaction terms assessed the influence of intersectional variables. Results indicated that lower education, minority ethnic status, larger household size, and marital status were associated with higher economic inequality, while education mitigated some disadvantages for minority women. Interaction effects highlighted that compounded vulnerabilities produce greater economic precarity than single factors alone. Subcomponent analyses confirmed that education most strongly affected income and job benefits, whereas household and marital factors influenced asset ownership and job security. Findings support Intersectionality Theory by demonstrating the multiplicative effects of social identities and Human Capital Theory by emphasizing education as a protective factor. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers, suggesting targeted skills development, social protection programs, and inclusive labor market policies to reduce economic inequality among urban working-class women.