Oby Ezekwesili Calls for Action Against Child Marriage

On the International Day of the Girl Child, Oby Ezekwesili called on stakeholders to end child marriage and invest in girls. She referenced UNICEF’s 2026 estimates indicating that one in five girls globally is married before the age of 18, resulting in approximately 650 million women and girls currently alive who were married as children.

Ezekwesili pointed out that over 12 million girls are married each year, with sub-Saharan Africa having the highest prevalence at 31 percent. In Nigeria, 23.6 million women and girls were married before 18, the highest number in West and Central Africa.

She described the situation in parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly in Jigawa, where 78 percent of women aged 20-49 were first married before 18. Ezekwesili warned of significant economic losses due to child marriage, estimating up to $175 billion annually.

However, she noted that progress is achievable, citing that 68 million child marriages have been averted through education and legal reforms.