Council Calls for Strict Enforcement of Marriage Laws, Increased Investment in Girls’ Education and Stronger Child Protection as Nigeria Targets an End to Child Marriage by 2030
By Chioma Vivian James/Abuja
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) Nigeria has called for urgent and decisive action to end child marriage, warning that millions of Nigerian girls remain trapped in a harmful practice that threatens their health, education, personal freedom and economic future.
In a strong appeal to governments at all levels, the council demanded the effective enforcement of child protection laws, sustained investment in girls’ education and economic empowerment, and stronger community-based interventions to prevent early marriage.
The call was made on Sunday, October 11, 2026, to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
In a statement issued in Abuja, the council stressed that Nigeria could not achieve its commitment to ending child marriage by 2030 without adequate funding, effective implementation of existing laws and sustained collaboration among government institutions, families, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations.
Citing figures from UNICEF, the NCWS noted that more than 24 million Nigerian women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday, placing Nigeria among the countries with the highest numbers of child brides worldwide.
The council further cited figures from the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, as reported by UNICEF in 2025, indicating that approximately 33.4 per cent of women aged 20–24 were married before turning 18. The prevalence approaches 50 per cent in the North-East and North-West, according to figures referenced in its statement.
The organisation warned that child marriage must no longer be treated as a private family decision or a problem confined to particular religious, ethnic or geographical communities. Instead, it described the practice as a national development challenge demanding coordinated and sustained action.
POVERTY, HEALTH RISKS AND A FUTURE CUT SHORT
The NCWS identified poverty, limited access to essential services, inadequate social protection and barriers to education as major factors sustaining child marriage in Nigeria.
According to the council, economic hardship sometimes drives families to marry off their daughters early, depriving the girls of the opportunity to complete their education, develop essential life skills and become financially independent.
The health consequences can be devastating.
The World Health Organization has warned that adolescent pregnancies carry increased risks of serious complications, including eclampsia and infections. Babies born to adolescent mothers also face greater risks of premature birth and low birth weight.
The council expressed particular concern about obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury associated with prolonged or obstructed labour. Beyond its physical consequences, the condition can expose affected women to stigma, discrimination and social isolation.
For many girls, early marriage also means the premature loss of childhood, reduced independence and limited control over decisions concerning their bodies, education and future.
The NCWS warned that girls married at an early age may be less equipped to seek assistance when exposed to domestic violence, sexual abuse and other harmful practices.
It therefore called for stronger protection systems to ensure that every girl can grow up in a safe environment, access healthcare and education, and make informed decisions about her future when she is ready.
EDUCATION: A CRITICAL WEAPON AGAINST CHILD MARRIAGE
The council identified education as one of the most effective tools for preventing child marriage and improving the long-term prospects of Nigerian girls.
It cited estimates of approximately 7.6 million out-of-school girls nationwide, with a substantial proportion living in northern Nigeria.
According to figures referenced in the NCWS statement, women without formal education marry at a median age of 16.6 years, compared with 21.7 years among women who complete secondary education.
For the council, the figures reinforce the urgent need to keep girls in school while addressing the financial pressures that make early marriage appear to some families to be an economic necessity.
The NCWS also referenced a 2025 study involving UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, which estimated that an investment of US$114 million in out-of-school girls in two northern states could generate benefits worth US$2.5 billion, approximately ₦3.6 trillion.
The council argued that such projected returns demonstrate that investing in girls is not merely a social responsibility but also an investment in national development.
It called for expanded school feeding programmes, conditional cash transfers, menstrual hygiene support, improved school security and the recruitment of more female teachers.
It also advocated opportunities for married girls and young mothers to return to school, stressing that motherhood should not permanently close the door to education and personal advancement.
NCWS DEMANDS STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF MARRIAGE LAWS
Despite progress in the adoption of child protection legislation across the country, the NCWS maintained that weak implementation remains a major obstacle to ending child marriage.
The council noted that all 36 states have adopted the Child Rights Act, while emphasising the need to translate legislative commitments into practical protection for children.
Section 21 of the Child Rights Act 2003 prohibits marriage involving a child and establishes 18 as the minimum marriage age under the Act.
The NCWS called for stronger enforcement, improved access to justice and greater accountability for those who arrange or facilitate unlawful marriages involving children.
It urged authorities to provide specialised training for police officers, prosecutors, judges and customary and Sharia court officials on child protection laws.
The organisation also called for functional family courts to improve access to justice for vulnerable children and ensure that cases involving child marriage receive appropriate attention.
Another major demand is a review of Section 29(4)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which contains a provision deeming a married woman to be of full age for the purposes of that section.
According to the council, reviewing the provision would help address conflicting interpretations that could undermine efforts to protect children from early marriage.
The NCWS further advocated accessible birth registration and compulsory registration of statutory, customary and religious marriages, with age verification to ensure that both parties meet the applicable legal minimum.
EIGHT-POINT ACTION PLAN TO PROTECT GIRLS
To accelerate progress towards ending child marriage, the NCWS outlined eight priority areas requiring urgent attention from governments and relevant stakeholders.
The measures include enforcing 18 as the minimum marriage age under applicable child protection laws, reviewing the constitutional provision, improving birth and marriage registration, and ensuring that girls can complete secondary education in safe and supportive environments.
The council also called for targeted financial assistance to vulnerable households, alongside skills acquisition and livelihood programmes for girls and their mothers.
It demanded adequately funded child protection desks, functional helplines, safe shelters, free legal assistance and adolescent-friendly healthcare services.
Girls living in displacement camps and conflict-affected communities, it stressed, require particular attention because insecurity and humanitarian emergencies can heighten their vulnerability to exploitation and early marriage.
On community engagement, the council urged traditional rulers, imams, pastors and other influential leaders to promote later marriage, support girls’ rights and challenge harmful practices through sustained dialogue conducted in local languages.
The organisation also called for the release of funds for the Costed National Action Plan to End Child Marriage, the development of corresponding state-level plans with dedicated budget lines, and annual public reports measuring progress towards the 2030 target.
It insisted that every intervention must have a clear timeline, an identifiable implementing institution and measurable outcomes to ensure accountability.
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS MUST TAKE A STAND
While demanding government action, the NCWS acknowledged that families and communities also have a critical role to play in ending child marriage.
The council appealed to parents to consider the long-term consequences of marrying off their daughters before they are physically, emotionally and socially ready for the responsibilities of marriage.
It recognised that poverty, insecurity and concerns about girls’ safety can influence family decisions but maintained that these challenges should be addressed through practical support rather than practices that compromise children’s rights.
The organisation urged fathers, brothers, husbands and sons to become advocates for girls’ rights, while encouraging traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to discourage child marriage.
It also called on journalists to sustain public awareness of the issue, investigate the factors driving the practice and report the experiences of affected girls responsibly, without exposing them to further harm or compromising their dignity.
NCWS REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO GIRLS’ RIGHTS
The NCWS pledged to complement its advocacy with practical interventions through its state chapters and affiliated organisations.
Its proposed activities include community engagements with parents, traditional rulers and religious leaders; identifying girls at risk; and linking vulnerable children to education, healthcare and protection services.
The council also said it would collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and state governments to monitor implementation of the national action plan and report its findings.
Reaffirming its longstanding campaign against vesico-vaginal fistula, which it began in 1985, the organisation emphasised the importance of protecting girls from preventable health complications associated with early marriage and childbirth.
Its National President, Princess Edna D. D. Azura, said the campaign was not intended to blame families, regions or religious communities but to ensure that every child enjoys the protection guaranteed by law.
“A girl’s childhood is not ours to give away,” Azura declared.
She urged Nigerians and governments at all levels to protect girls’ health, safeguard their childhood and give them the opportunity to determine their futures when they are ready.
Formally inaugurated in 1959, the NCWS is the umbrella body of women’s organisations in Nigeria, with a longstanding commitment to women’s welfare, maternal and child health, and the rights of girls.
As Nigeria marks the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, the council’s message underscores a fundamental challenge: existing laws and policy commitments must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of vulnerable girls.
Ending child marriage will require more than public declarations. It demands effective law enforcement, sustained funding, access to quality education, economic support for vulnerable families and a collective determination to challenge harmful practices.
For millions of Nigerian girls whose futures remain uncertain, the stakes could not be higher.
The NCWS has made its position clear: every girl deserves a childhood, every child deserves protection, and no girl should have her future decided before she has the opportunity to shape it herself.
