This research project is an exploratory study guided by theories of social dominance and African feminism. It examines men's interference in the empowerment of women in Nigeria. The purpose of the study is first, to understand how men interfere in women's empowerment and second, to lay a ground work for future studies. The study uses critical and interpretive methods of inquiry, particularly interview techniques to elicit the views of men and women in Nigeria regarding their understanding of women's empowerment, factors influencing their views, participation in the empowerment of women, and men's control of women's empowerment. Additionally, the study compares men's and women's views using thematic analysis to reduce and present data.

Participants consisted of 12 men and 12 women residing in Nigeria who are from Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and four other minority tribes in Nigeria. Findings from the study reveal that men have dominant control over the empowerment of women in Nigeria, and that men's control of the social, political and economic system hurts the empowerment of women. Based on the findings, the study formulates Duru Empowerment Model which defines processes of empowerment in the Nigerian context and other homogeneous cultures. The findings suggest several recommendations for future research, including replicating the study using a different population in Nigeria, investigating the extent to which women have power, and formulating a women's empowerment strategy that is applicable to the Nigerian context.