Former Nigerian Minister of Education Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili has called on African governments to enforce 18 years as the minimum legal age of marriage, warning that child marriage continues to undermine girls’ education, human rights and long-term economic prospects. In a statement marking the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, 2026, Ezekwesili, founder of Human Capital Africa, urged governments to strengthen legal protections, improve access to quality education and work with traditional and religious leaders to end the practice. According to Channels Television, she emphasised that protecting girls requires more than legislation, calling for effective enforcement across every state and community.
Ezekwesili highlighted the scale of the challenge in Nigeria, citing figures showing that 23.6 million women and girls were married before the age of 18, the highest number in West and Central Africa. She pointed to Jigawa State, where 78 per cent of women aged 20 to 49 were reportedly first married before turning 18, while 63 per cent of women had left school to marry. In an opinion article published by Premium Times, she argued that foundational literacy and numeracy are essential safeguards because girls who struggle in school are more vulnerable to dropping out and early marriage. She also cited analysis by the Center for Global Development, included in a Columbia University report, estimating that child marriage could generate economic losses of up to US$175 billion annually through reduced productivity and increased health risks.
Beyond enforcing the minimum marriage age, Ezekwesili urged governments to remove financial barriers to secondary education, increase domestic funding for girls’ rights and publish measurable data on school retention and child marriage rates. She also called for African philanthropy and national budgets to play a greater role as international aid comes under pressure. Her appeal aligns with wider calls from organisations such as ActionAid Nigeria, which has urged governments to enforce existing child-protection laws and invest in safe, inclusive education. For African economies, the issue extends beyond individual welfare: preventing child marriage can help preserve educational gains, expand future employment opportunities and strengthen the human capital needed for sustainable development.
