IDGC 2026: Nigeria must stop sacrificing its girls

AS the world marks the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child today, under the theme, “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights!”, it is imperative for Nigeria to confront an enduring social and cultural injustice that continues to rob millions of girls of their childhood, education, health and future.

Child marriage is not merely a cultural practice or a private family decision. It is a violation of children’s rights, a public health emergency and a formidable obstacle to national development.

The government must stop treating it as an unfortunate social problem and begin addressing it with the urgency it deserves.

The statistics are damning. According to UNICEF’s 2026 estimates, one in five girls globally is married before the age of 18, representing approximately 650 million women and girls alive today who were married in childhood.

Every year, more than 12 million girls, or roughly one every three seconds, are married before reaching adulthood. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence, at 31 per cent.

These figures represent millions of childhoods cut short and futures compromised by decisions children are rarely allowed to challenge.

The consequences extend beyond the wedding ceremony. Nearly one in four ever-married or partnered girls aged 15–19 has experienced intimate partner violence in her lifetime.

Conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises further expose girls to child marriage, sexual violence and maternal mortality.

Girls aged 15–19 are twice as likely as boys to be outside education, employment or training. In fragile, conflict- and violence-affected contexts, girls are nearly 90 per cent more likely to be out of secondary school than girls in stable contexts, further increasing their vulnerability to child marriage.

Nigeria has little reason to take comfort in these global figures. According to UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Child Protection, Natalie McCauley, at the organisation’s Child Protection Mid-Year Review in Abuja in July, official national reporting shows that six in 10 children experience some form of abuse.

Only two in five children under five have their births registered, with a wide urban-rural gap, while two in five young women were married before the age of 18.

The Child Marriage Data Portal estimates that 33 per cent of Nigerian girls marry or enter a union before 18, while 11 per cent marry before 15.

The 2024 data presented on the portal showed that the practice is particularly prevalent in Jigawa and Zamfara, at 63 per cent each, followed by Sokoto and Katsina, at 61 per cent each. Child marriage is also disproportionately common among the poorest households and rural communities. In the North, a section of the elite also practices child marriage.

These figures demand more than annual speeches, awareness campaigns and expressions of concern. They expose a failure to protect children, particularly those whose poverty, gender and geographical location leave them with little power over their lives.

No girl should have to exchange her childhood for survival or be forced into marriage because her family cannot afford to educate or adequately provide for her.

Proponents of child marriage often invoke culture, religion and economic hardship to defend the practice. Some argue that marrying girls off early protects them from promiscuity, preserves their virginity and shields families from humiliation.

Others maintain that a husband offers protection against rape or social deviance, particularly in insecure communities. Some families regard early marriage as a means of reducing household expenses or securing bride price and financial ties.

Misinterpretations of religious teachings and deeply entrenched patriarchal traditions also help sustain the practice.

These arguments do not withstand scrutiny. A society cannot claim to protect its daughters by subjecting them to circumstances that threaten their health, safety and autonomy.

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Marriage is not a substitute for child protection, and a husband is not a guarantee of security. If insecurity exposes girls to sexual violence, the answer is to protect them and prosecute offenders, not to transfer responsibility for their safety to men through premature marriage.

Poverty, too, should prompt public investment and social assistance, not the surrender of children’s futures.

The UN Africa Renewal has described child marriage as a human rights violation as well as a social and health issue. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth remain a leading cause of death among adolescent girls.

The UN has also warned that child marriage is among the most widespread violations of girls’ rights, denying millions the opportunity to remain in school, protect their health, live free from violence and fulfil their potential. Its consequences are especially troubling when self-harm remains one of the leading causes of death among adolescent girls aged 15–19 globally.

The health consequences alone should compel decisive action. Girls’ bodies may not be sufficiently developed for pregnancy and childbirth, exposing them to heightened risks of maternal and infant mortality, obstetric fistula, a severe and painful childbirth injury, and other chronic health complications.

Young brides face increased risks of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, particularly where age and power imbalances leave them unable to negotiate safe sex or make independent decisions about their reproductive health.

The psychological toll is equally grave. Early marriage can expose girls to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and profound isolation. It can also increase their vulnerability to physical, emotional and sexual violence from their husbands and in-laws.

The substantial age differences common in child marriages create unequal relationships in which girls may have little say in household decisions. Cut off from friends, relatives and community support systems, many are left without the networks they need to seek help when abused.

Education is another casualty. Girls who marry early frequently leave school, forfeiting opportunities to acquire knowledge, critical-thinking abilities, vocational skills and the independence necessary to make informed decisions.

Their exclusion from education and formal economic participation comes at the very stage when investment in learning and skills could yield the greatest returns. Limited employment opportunities and low earning potential can trap them and their children in cycles of poverty.

Nigeria cannot afford to ignore the economic implications either. A 2017 World Bank/International Centre for Research on Women study estimated that ending child marriage could generate an additional $7.6 billion in earnings and productivity for the country.

Protecting girls is therefore not only a moral and legal obligation; it is also an investment in human capital, household welfare and national prosperity. A country that denies a substantial proportion of its girls the opportunity to learn, work and thrive undermines its own development.

The government must translate its commitments into measurable action. Federal and state authorities should strengthen the enforcement of laws against child marriage, harmonise conflicting legal provisions and close loopholes that allow children to be married off under the guise of tradition or religious observance.

Legal reform must be accompanied by accessible reporting channels, effective investigations, prosecution where warranted and support services for girls at risk or already trapped in child marriage.

Equally important is sustained investment in free, safe and inclusive education, particularly for girls in poor and rural communities. Scholarships, school meals, social protection and financial support for vulnerable households can reduce the economic pressures that encourage early marriage.

Schools and health facilities should provide age-appropriate information and confidential support, while social workers and child-protection agencies must be equipped to intervene before abuse becomes irreversible.

Traditional rulers, religious leaders, community organisations, parents and civil society groups must also challenge the harmful beliefs that normalise child marriage. Their influence can help change attitudes, but this must be exercised in defence of children’s rights, not to excuse their violation.

Government agencies and non-governmental organisations should work with communities to promote girls’ education, improve access to healthcare and ensure that girls can report abuse without fear of retaliation.