From Allafrica · · 1m 20s
Nigeria Calls for 18-Year Marriage Age Enforcement
Nigeria's former education minister urges federal and state governments to enforce 18 as minimum marriage age to protect girls' education.
In brief
Nigeria's former education minister urges federal and state governments to enforce 18 as minimum marriage age to protect girls' education. Nigeria's former education minister calls for 18-year minimum marriage age to prevent child marriage and boost girls' education. Originally reported by Allafrica.
Ezekwesili urges 18-year marriage age
Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, calls for 18 as minimum marriage age across Nigeria.
23.6 million girls married before 18
Nigeria has 23.6 million women and girls married before 18, the highest in West and Central Africa.
Northern Nigeria crisis
In Jigawa State, 78 per cent of women aged 20 to 49 married before 18, and 63 per cent left school to marry.
Education barriers
School fees, uniforms, and transport prevent girls from progressing to secondary school, especially in rural areas.
Child marriage costs economy
Child marriage could cost the global economy up to $175bn annually and nearly $2.5tn by 2040.
68 million child marriages averted
68 million child marriages have been averted through girls' education and legal reforms over 25 years.
Education reduces marriage risk
Each additional year of secondary education reduces a girl's likelihood of marrying before 18 by five percentage points.
The headline
Nigeria's former education minister calls for 18-year minimum marriage age to prevent child marriage and boost girls' education.
