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ABSTRACT
Child marriage is often seen as a response to crisis, providing protection for children. Child marriage remains a pervasive issue in Nigeria despite legal frameworks aimed at its prohibition. This research examines the existing legal framework prohibiting child marriage in Nigeria, exploring both the challenges impeding effective implementation and the prospects for improvement. This research adopts the doctrinal approach; and examines the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Childs Rights Act, the African Charter, decided cases, articles, textbooks, journals, and internet sources. Based on the examination, the research finds that the key challenges includes poor enforcement due to cultural acceptance, socio-economic factors, poverty and lack of educational opportunities and religious practices more especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. The research also identifies the local and International laws that have been enacted to curb the issue of child marriage but the problem of enforcement still persists. This research recommends that girls should be given access to basic education which can extend to higher education and special educational programmes for those that were forced out of school as a result of child marriage. This research further recommends the implementation of programmes for judiciary and every government officials in identifying girls at risk and also victims. The research concludes that the issue of child marriage is not just a problem in Nigeria but all over the world and it’s important that we protect the girl child from the risks that results from the practice.
