AN EVALUATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES AND LEGAL PARADIGM OF CHILD MARRIAGE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Generally, it is apt to state that marriage is said to be between two consenting adults. However, in Nigeria, it has been observed that the issues of child marriage is becoming on the increase. This is concerning the fact that study has revealed that in Nigeria, particularly northern Nigeria has some of the highest rates of early marriage in the world. Furthermore, it suffices to state that there are a lot of adverse consequences that goes with child marriage. Although, there are international and domestic laws that tend to stipulate the minimum age of marriage. However, despite the said law, there is still increase of child marriage in Nigeria. It is in this regard, that this study employs the use of doctrinal study in examining the consequences of child marriage in Nigeria. Furthermore, the study will also examine the various international and domestic laws as it relates to child marriage in Nigeria in ascertaining to what extent they regulate child marriage. The study therefore concludes and recommends that, though there are laws that condemned child marriage in Nigeria, however, there is still an increase rate of child marriage in Nigeria. In this regard, the government, community and NGO should ensure an appropriate compliance with the laws that condemned child marriage.