33.4% of young women married before 18, group says
ActionAid Nigeria has called on federal and state governments to strengthen the enforcement of laws against child marriage and increase investment in girls’ education, warning that early marriage continues to deny millions of Nigerian girls the opportunity to shape their futures.
The organisation, in a statement issued on Saturday to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl, said 33.4 per cent of Nigerian women aged 20 to 24 were married before turning 18, with the prevalence approaching 50 per cent in the North-east and North-west.
The statement, signed by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, cited an analysis of the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey and UNICEF estimates indicating that more than 3.7 million Nigerian women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 18.
Observed annually on October 11, this year’s International Day of the Girl is themed, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
ActionAid described child marriage as a violation of girls’ rights rather than merely a cultural practice or family matter, noting that it often disrupts education, limits economic opportunities and exposes girls to violence and early pregnancy.
The organisation added that more than 12 million girls worldwide were married before reaching adulthood each year, highlighting the need for sustained intervention by governments, communities and development partners.
It identified poverty and inadequate access to education as major drivers of child marriage, explaining that girls from low-income households and those with limited educational opportunities faced a higher risk of being married off early.
According to the statement, UNICEF analysis suggests that ensuring every girl in Northern Nigeria completes secondary education could reduce child marriage by as much as two-thirds, while also lowering adolescent pregnancy rates and improving economic productivity.
To demonstrate the impact of interventions that empower girls, ActionAid recounted the experience of Aisha Aliyu, who was 16 when her family began arranging her marriage to her cousin.
Aisha, who participated in the organisation’s Girl-led Research and Action Project, learnt about girls’ rights, the importance of education and the risks associated with early marriage.
Armed with this knowledge, she gained the confidence to discuss her desire to continue schooling with her parents. They eventually cancelled the marriage arrangement, enabling her to return to school.
She now hopes to become a businesswoman and mentor other girls in her community.
ActionAid said her experience demonstrated how access to information, safe spaces and opportunities for participation could empower girls to challenge harmful practices and make informed decisions about their lives.
Through its Girl-led Research and Action initiative, the organisation supports girls to investigate issues affecting them, generate evidence and use their findings to advocate for change.
It also works with women’s rights organisations and communities through its Local Rights Programme to address harmful gender norms, gender-based violence, barriers to education and the exclusion of girls from decision-making.
Similarly, its Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports locally led initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality and strengthening the leadership of women and girls.
Mamedu said investment in girls must extend beyond protecting them from abuse to recognising their rights and enabling them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
“Investing in girls is not simply about protecting them from harm; it is about recognising their rights, supporting their leadership and creating the opportunities they need to shape their own lives and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.
He urged governments to ensure that effective systems, adequate resources and clear accountability mechanisms were in place to protect girls’ rights.
ActionAid called on the federal and state governments, the National and State Assemblies, and justice and law-enforcement institutions to ensure the effective implementation of laws prohibiting child marriage and other harmful practices.
It also urged the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission, state ministries of education and state universal basic education boards to increase investment in safe, quality and inclusive education, particularly for girls in rural, conflict-affected and marginalised communities.
The organisation further advocated expanded social protection programmes and livelihood support for vulnerable households to ease the economic pressures that force some families to withdraw girls from school or arrange early marriages.
It called on ministries responsible for women’s affairs and youth development, local governments, schools, legislators and community institutions to establish safe spaces where girls could participate meaningfully in research, policy discussions and decisions affecting their futures.
Parents, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, schools and the media were also urged to challenge social norms that restrict girls’ choices and promote their rights to education, leadership and participation.
ActionAid maintained that ending child marriage required coordinated action to tackle its underlying causes, protect girls from harmful practices and ensure that every girl had the opportunity to learn, thrive and determine her future.
