By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
ActionAid Nigeria has called for urgent action to end child marriage and increase investment in girls’ rights, warning that early marriage continues to deprive millions of Nigerian girls of education, economic opportunities and the freedom to determine their futures.
The organisation made the call ahead of the 2026 International Day of the Girl, marked on October 11 under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
ActionAid Nigeria stressed that child marriage should not be treated merely as a cultural practice or family affair, but as a violation of girls’ rights that exposes them to violence, early pregnancy, school dropout and limited economic opportunities.
The organisation noted that more than 12 million girls globally are married before the age of 18 every year, adding that child marriage remains one of the most widespread violations of girls’ rights, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
In Nigeria, the situation remains alarming, with recent analysis of the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey showing that 33.4 per cent of young women aged 20 to 24 were married before turning 18.
According to the analysis, the prevalence approaches 50 per cent in the country’s North-East and North-West regions, while UNICEF estimates that more than 3.7 million women aged 20 to 24 were married before their 18th birthday.
ActionAid Nigeria identified poverty and limited access to education as major factors contributing to child marriage, noting that girls from poorer households and those with lower levels of education face a significantly higher risk of early marriage.
It cited UNICEF’s analysis indicating that if every girl in Northern Nigeria completed secondary education, child marriage could decline by as much as two-thirds, alongside reductions in adolescent pregnancy and improvements in economic productivity.
The organisation said these figures reflect the lived realities of girls in communities where early marriage is still regarded as an expected path to adulthood.
Illustrating the impact of interventions that empower girls, ActionAid Nigeria 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, gained knowledge about girls’ rights, the importance of education and the risks associated with early marriage.
Armed with this knowledge, she found the confidence to speak with her parents about her desire to continue her education.
Her parents eventually called off the marriage, allowing her to return to school, where she now hopes to become a businesswoman and mentor other girls in her community.
ActionAid Nigeria said Aisha’s experience demonstrates how access to information, safe spaces and opportunities for girls to express themselves can challenge harmful practices and protect their futures.
Through its Girl-led Research and Action initiative, the organisation supports girls to investigate issues affecting their lives, generate knowledge, share their experiences and use evidence to advocate for change.
It maintained that girls should not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as rights-holders, leaders and agents of change who must be involved in decisions affecting their lives.
The organisation also highlighted its collaboration with women’s rights organisations, girls and communities through its Local Rights Programme to address harmful gender norms, violence, barriers to education and exclusion from decision-making.
Similarly, through the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Nigeria Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, ActionAid Nigeria supports locally led initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality and strengthening women’s and girls’ leadership.
Speaking in Abuja, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said investment in girls must go beyond protecting them from harm to recognising their rights, supporting their leadership and providing opportunities for them to shape their futures.
“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,” Mamedu said.
He added that girls must be at the centre of decisions affecting them, while governments must ensure that the necessary systems and resources are available to make their rights a reality.
Consequently, ActionAid Nigeria called on federal and state governments, the National and State Houses of Assembly, and relevant justice and law-enforcement institutions to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement 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 called on federal and state governments, especially institutions responsible for social protection and poverty reduction, to expand livelihood support and social protection programmes for vulnerable households.
According to ActionAid Nigeria, such interventions would help ease the economic pressures that make girls more vulnerable to early marriage and dropping out of school.
It also urged ministries of women affairs and youth development, local governments, schools, legislators and community institutions to establish safe and meaningful platforms where girls can participate in policy discussions, research and decisions affecting their lives.
The organisation called on parents, traditional and religious leaders, schools, civil society organisations and the media to challenge harmful social norms that restrict girls’ choices and create environments where they can learn, thrive and lead.
ActionAid Nigeria reaffirmed that ending child marriage requires sustained investment in girls’ rights, stronger enforcement of protective laws, access to education and the active involvement of girls in shaping the decisions that determine their futures.
The organisation is a social justice non-governmental organisation working to eradicate poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria. It is affiliated with the ActionAid International Federation, which operates in 45 countries, and works with people experiencing poverty and exclusion to advance social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication.
