Western Africa

Nigeria

Summary

Explore how common child marriage is throughout the country, how levels have changed over time, and how the situation in this country compares to others.

Absolute number

Prevalence

10.6 million

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

12%
23.7 million

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

30%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Western Africa
  • Nigeria
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearWestern AfricaNigeria
199644.7%
199841.7%
200142.8%
200340.7%
200639.0%
200838.8%
201142.4%
201339.5%
201643.7%
201839.7%
202130.3%
202331.6%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Nigeria

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Urban
  • Rural
Show Residence table of data
YearUrbanRural
202112.3%44.7%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth table of data
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
202158.4%48.9%28.5%14.7%4.4%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education table of data
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
202171.5%55.8%12.3%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Nigeria

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Nigeria in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Nigeria. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Nigeria

Understand differences
inside the country

6% 28% 13% 19% 18% 3% 29% 36% 7% 74% 28% 27% 49% 13% 13% 16% 10% 12% 17% 26% 11% 8% 5% 48% 16% 49% 4% 17% 53% 4% 72% 35% 39% 69% 60% 49% 67%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2021

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Nigeria in 2021

0%100%
Show table of data
YearNigeriaAbiaAdamawaAkwa IbomAnambraBauchiBayelsaBenueBornoCross RiverDeltaEbonyiEdoEkitiEnuguFederal Capital TerritoryGombeImoJigawaKadunaKanoKatsinaKebbiKogiKwaraLagosNasarawaNigerOgunOndoOsunOyoPlateauRiversSokotoTarabaYobeZamfara
30.3%5.9%27.7%12.7%7.0%73.8%28.2%27.3%48.8%13.2%12.9%10.8%8.4%16.2%3.9%16.8%52.9%4.2%71.8%35.4%39.0%68.9%59.5%19.2%17.8%3.0%29.2%36.2%16.3%9.9%11.9%16.9%25.9%5.1%48.4%49.4%48.8%66.8%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Nigeria compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Nigeria
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearNigeria
199644.7%
200142.8%
200639.0%
201142.4%
201643.7%
202130.3%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

Show table of data
CountryUrbanRuralTotal prevalence
Nigeria12.3%44.7%30.3%
Perspective
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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Where does child marriage occur?

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