Jane Salihu
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) Nigeria has called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, improved access to education and increased government support for vulnerable families to tackle child marriage in the country.
The National President of NCWS, Princess Edna. Azura, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, October 11, 2026, to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, with the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Azura urged federal, state and local governments to move beyond promises and implement practical measures to protect girls from early marriage, noting that poverty, limited educational opportunities and weak enforcement of existing laws continue to expose many girls to the practice.
According to the council, more than 24 million Nigerian women and girls alive today were married before the age of 18, while 33.4 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before their 18th birthday.
The organisation further noted that the prevalence of child marriage approaches 50 per cent among young women in the North-East and North-West, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in vulnerable communities.
NCWS expressed concern over the gap between existing legislation and its implementation, pointing out that Section 21 of the Child Rights Act 2003 establishes 18 as the minimum age of marriage.
Although all 36 states have adopted the Act, the council said enforcement remains weak, allowing the practice to persist in different parts of the country.
It also called on the National Assembly to amend Section 29(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that a married woman is deemed to have attained full age, arguing that the provision could be used to justify the marriage of underage girls.
The council identified child marriage as a major threat to girls’ health, education and future economic opportunities, warning that early pregnancy increases the risk of serious complications for adolescent mothers and their babies.
It also highlighted the risk of obstetric fistula, a childbirth-related injury that can leave affected women with long-term physical complications, social stigma and isolation.
On education, NCWS stressed the importance of keeping girls in school until they complete secondary education, calling for free and compulsory schooling, school feeding programmes, menstrual hygiene support and measures to protect schools from attacks.
The organisation also urged governments to expand social protection programmes, including financial assistance for poor households, skills acquisition and livelihood opportunities for girls and their mothers.
To strengthen the response, NCWS outlined eight priority measures, including enforcing the minimum marriage age, removing constitutional contradictions, registering births and marriages, protecting girls at risk and providing access to healthcare, legal aid and safe shelters.
It further called for stronger collaboration with traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and community organisations to discourage child marriage and promote girls’ education.
The council urged governments to release funds for the Costed National Action Plan to End Child Marriage and establish corresponding state-level plans with dedicated budget allocations, timelines and measurable targets.
It also proposed annual state-by-state assessments to track progress towards ending child marriage by 2030.
Addressing families, the organisation acknowledged that some parents resort to early marriage because of poverty or concerns about their daughters’ safety.
However, it maintained that access to education, healthcare and adequate protection offers girls a better opportunity to grow, develop their abilities and determine their futures.
“A girl’s childhood is not ours to give away,” Azura said, urging Nigerians and governments at all levels to ensure that children are protected and allowed to enjoy their childhood.
She stressed that the campaign was not intended to blame any family, region or religious group, but to encourage collective action to safeguard girls’ rights.
The NCWS president also reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working through its state chapters and affiliated organisations to engage communities, identify girls at risk and link them with education, healthcare and protection services.
The council said it would continue collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and state governments to monitor the implementation of the national action plan, while sustaining its campaign against vesicovaginal fistula, an advocacy effort it began in 1985.
NCWS called on all stakeholders to support policies and programmes that protect girls, keep them in school and enable them to make informed decisions about their futures.
