ActionAid Nigeria has called on federal and state governments to strengthen enforcement of laws against child marriage and increase investment in girls’ education and rights, warning that early marriage continues to deprive millions of Nigerian girls of opportunities to determine their futures.
The organisation, in a statement issued on Saturday ahead of the 2026 International Day of the Girl, said 33.4 per cent of young Nigerian women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 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, alongside UNICEF estimates that more than 3.7 million women aged 20 to 24 were married before turning 18.
The International Day of the Girl, marked on October 11, is being observed this year under the theme, “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights.”
ActionAid said child marriage was not merely a cultural practice or a family matter but a violation of girls’ rights that could disrupt their education, restrict their economic prospects and expose them to violence and early pregnancy.
It added that more than 12 million girls globally were married before adulthood every year, underscoring the need for sustained action by governments, communities and development partners.
The organisation identified poverty and limited access to education as major factors contributing to early marriage, noting that girls from poorer households and those with lower levels of education faced greater risks.
According to the statement, UNICEF analysis indicates 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 and improving economic productivity.
To illustrate the impact of interventions that empower girls, ActionAid recounted the experience of Aisha Aliyu, who was 16 when her family began preparing for 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 that knowledge, she found the confidence to speak to her parents about her desire to continue her education. Her parents eventually called off the marriage, allowing 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 help girls challenge practices that threatened their futures.
Through its Girl-led Research and Action initiative, the organisation supports girls to investigate issues affecting their lives, 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, violence, barriers to education and the exclusion of girls from decision-making.
The organisation said its Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, also supports locally led initiatives to advance gender equality and strengthen women’s and girls’ leadership.
Mamedu said investment in girls must go beyond protecting them from abuse to recognising their rights and enabling them to participate in decisions affecting 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 the systems and resources required to protect girls’ rights were available and effective.
ActionAid called on federal and state governments, the National and State Assemblies, and justice and law-enforcement institutions to ensure that laws protecting girls against child marriage and other harmful practices were effectively implemented, with clear accountability for violations.
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 called for expanded social protection and livelihood support for vulnerable households to ease the economic pressures that push girls into early marriage and school dropout.
It urged 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 lives.
Parents, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, schools and the media were also urged to challenge social norms that restrict girls’ choices and support their right to education and leadership.
ActionAid said ending child marriage required coordinated action to address its underlying causes, protect girls from harmful practices and ensure that every girl had the opportunity to learn, thrive and shape her future.
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