This study aims to explore the motivational factors that drive women to venture into entrepreneurship within male-dominated industries in Nigeria, using the frameworks of institutional theory and self-determination theory (SDT). The study uses a qualitative phenomenological approach and conducts 30 interviews with women entrepreneurs (WEs) from different sectors and backgrounds, using a snowball sampling technique. The results show that WEs are driven by various factors related to the institutional environment (regulatory, normative, and cognitive), such as economic improvement, family pressure and support, husband’s consent and independence, family legacy, gender equality, skills, education, and experience. These factors reflect the economic commitment and resilience of WEs. This study enriches the existing literature on women entrepreneurs and institutional entrepreneurship by offering empirical evidence on how women entrepreneurs surmount the challenges presented by patriarchal societies and male-dominated businesses (MDB). The study posits that models of institutional entrepreneurship could potentially enhance the number of women entrepreneurs and make contribution to the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 3 and 8. This represents the pioneering study that applies both institutional theory and self-determination theory (SDT) to scrutinize women entrepreneurs operating in MDB. The study has implications for policymakers who want to foster and enable WEs in developing countries. It underscores the importance of understanding the unique women’s motivations to become entrepreneurs in patriarchal societies and highlights the need for supportive institutional frameworks to facilitate their success.