Oby Ezekwesili Urges Action Against Child Marriage

On the International Day of the Girl Child, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili calls for an end to child marriage and increased investment in girls' rights. She serves on the advisory council for Columbia University’s report, "Accelerating Efforts to End Child Marriage," and as the Civil Society Representative on the African Union’s Steering Committee for the Decade of Accelerated Action for Education and Skills Development in Africa (2025–2034).

Ezekwesili cites UNICEF's 2026 estimates indicating that one in five girls globally is married before age 18, totaling approximately 650 million women and girls. In Nigeria, 23.6 million women and girls were married as children, the highest in West and Central Africa.

In Jigawa, 78 percent of women aged 20–49 were married before 18. The Columbia report warns of potential losses of up to $175 billion annually due to child marriage, emphasizing the importance of girls' education and legal reforms to combat this issue.