By Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN
Protecting the girl child from early, forced, and exploitative marriage must remain a national priority. While Nigeria’s laws prohibit child marriage below 18, we must confront a deeper and often overlooked reality: marriages involving extremely wide age gaps, sometimes 25 to 40 years, are inherently exploitative, even when the girl is technically above 18.
Such unions are not partnerships; they are power‑imbalanced relationships where consent is compromised by age, vulnerability, economic pressure, and social inequality. They expose girls to: sexual exploitation, reproductive health risks, interrupted education, psychological harm, and lifelong economic dependence.
During my tenure as UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, I encountered this issue in Egypt, where the law recognized that marriages with extreme age disparities could constitute exploitation and trafficking. At the time, under President Mubarak, Egypt adopted legal measures to curb such practices because they were being used to mask sexual exploitation under the guise of “marriage.”
Nigeria must adopt similar protections.
The recent case involving a former senator and an 18‑year‑old girl illustrates the urgent need for reform. Even though the girl is legally an adult, the over 35‑year age gap raises serious concerns about exploitation, unequal bargaining power, and the use of marriage as a shield for predatory behaviour. Our laws must evolve to address these realities.
A Call for Legal Reform
Nigeria should consider legislation that: criminalizes marriages with extreme age gaps where exploitation is evident, even when the girl is above 18; recognizes such marriages as potential trafficking or exploitation, especially when financial inducement, coercion, or manipulation is involved;
protects girls from predatory adults who use wealth, influence, or power to secure sexual access under the guise of marriage; ensures that consent is meaningful, not coerced by poverty, family pressure, or unequal power dynamics.
This is not about policing relationships; it is about protecting vulnerable girls from exploitation disguised as marriage. As we mark the International Day of the Girl Child, our message must be unequivocal:
Education first. Marriage later.
Investing in girls’ education is the most powerful tool we have to end early and exploitative marriage. Educated girls marry later, earn more, lead healthier lives, and contribute meaningfully to society. Girls deserve safe schools, quality education, protection from violence, opportunities to thrive, and freedom from harmful practices that limit their futures.
