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NCWS Demands Urgent Action Against Child Marriage
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Published 10/11/2026 9:11:28 AM
NCWS Demands Urgent Action Against Child Marriage – THISDAYLIVE
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
More than 24 million Nigerian women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday, the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) has warned, demanding urgent action to end child marriage.
In a statement on Sunday to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, the council said Nigeria, which is among countries with the highest numbers of child brides globally, cannot meet its 2030 deadline to end the practice without funded interventions and enforcement of the law.
The NCWS, under the theme ‘End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,’ cited UNICEF figures and the 2023-2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, which showed 33.4 per cent of women aged 20-24 were married before 18, with prevalence approaching 50 per cent in the North-east and North-west.
Its National President, Princess Edna Azura, described child marriage as a national development crisis, not a private family matter.
The council said poverty is a major driver, with girls from poor households far more likely to marry in adolescence. It warned of severe health consequences such as eclampsia, infections, obstetric fistula, prematurity and low birth weight, as well as lifelong loss of education and economic opportunities.
It cited about 7.6 million out-of-school girls nationwide, noting that women without formal education marry at a median age of 16.6 years compared to 21.7 years for those who complete secondary education.
According to the council, investing $114 million in out-of-school girls in two northern states alone could generate $2.5 billion (about N3.6 trillion) in economic benefits, based on a 2025 study by UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
The NCWS said despite all 36 states adopting the Child Rights Act, implementation remains weak.
It demanded enforcement of Section 21 of the Act, which sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage, and called on the National Assembly to review Section 29(4)(b) of the Constitution which deems a married woman to be of full age.
It also called for free birth registration, compulsory registration of all marriages with age verification, training for police, prosecutors, judges and customary and Sharia court officials and functional family courts.
The council outlined an eight-point action plan including enforcement of the marriage age, safe completion of secondary education for girls, school feeding, conditional cash transfers, menstrual hygiene support, recruitment of female teachers, second-chance education for married girls and young mothers, targeted financial assistance for poor households, and funded child protection desks, helplines, safe shelters and adolescent-friendly healthcare.
It urged traditional rulers, imams and pastors to promote later marriage and called for release of funds for the Costed National Action Plan to End Child Marriage with dedicated budget lines and annual public reporting.
“A girl’s childhood is not ours to give away,” Azura said, urging government, families and communities to protect girls’ health and allow them to determine their futures.
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Jobberman Nigeria, Nigeria’s leading career development and recruitment solutions company, has launched ‘Her Next Move’, a campaign designed to empower young Nigerian women with practical skills and confidence to pursue career opportunities and participate more fully in the workforce.
Through free online training, the initiative supports women aged 18 to 35 as they prepare to enter the workplace, advance into better roles or explore freelance and gig work.
Built around the message ‘Your Future. Your Skills. Your Move’, the campaign places female inclusion at the centre of career development, encouraging women to take an active role in shaping their professional futures. It connects the ambition to progress with an accessible starting point: learning skills that can help women prepare for their next opportunity.
‘Her Next Move’ recognises that career progress looks different for every woman. For a graduate, it may mean preparing for a first job. For a woman already working, it may involve developing the skills to take on greater responsibility or pursue a new role. For another, it may mean understanding how to navigate freelance work and participate in the global gig economy. The campaign brings these aspirations together through a shared emphasis on learning, preparation and action.
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‘Her Next Move’ reinforces Jobberman’s and Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to supporting career development and expanding access to learning for young Nigerian women. By combining free skills training with relatable storytelling and encouragement to take action, the campaign seeks to help more women feel prepared to pursue their ambitions.
