Since the last two decades or so, a deeply troubling trend that seems to have engulfed our young-adult women in Nigeria has continued to raise its ugly head, unabated. Over the years, the increasing number of young girls aged between 15 and 18 getting pregnant outside wedlock continues to paint our villages and towns in indescribable colours. This phenomenon has reached alarming proportions. It is threatening not only the future of these children but also the very foundation of the Nigerian society.
While the issue of adolescent sexuality remains somewhat controversial, what cannot be overlooked is the grave consequences of early unplanned pregnancy, particularly in a socio-economic climate that is already suffocating with poverty, unemployment, and systemic environmental neglect. No one has cared to examine the root causes of this crisis, the moral responsibilities of the society, and the urgent need for institutional intervention to protect the future of our young girls and, by extension, the destiny of our country.
Today, Nigerian youths are navigating in a complex world. Social media, peer pressure, economic hardship and cultural decay, all contribute to the reality of teenage girls being increasingly exposed to early sexual activities. And often these happen “behind the screen”, without the knowledge of their guardians. Unlike previous generations where moral discipline and family supervision prevailed, many young girls grow up these days in broken or absentee homes. With little or no moral guidance, they are vulnerable to exploitation by predatory boys or men who manipulate and intimidate them in order to achieve their selfish goals.
While there is no intention of advocating for a return to the days of extreme puritanism, the fact remains that if young people choose to explore their sexuality, they should be able to do so in a responsible manner. The reality, however, is that many girls are not equipped with the information, the integrity, confidence or support they need to make safe choices. Sex education, use of condoms or contraceptives are either locally stigmatized by the communities or they are inaccessible to the young girls. The result is a surge in teenage pregnancies. And unfortunately, many of them end up in tragedy.
Investigations and personal testimonies reveal that, in many cases, the pregnancies are not merely the result of poor decision-making, but of outright coercion. Teenage girls are often intimidated, pressured, or threatened into having unprotected sex with boys who are barely more mature than them. These boys, emboldened by toxic masculinity and what they see as lack of consequences, view girls as trophies to be won rather than human beings that deserve to be respected. Sadly, society has been complicit in all of this development. Many adults turn blind eyes when they observe these youths erotically close to each other. Some even blame the girls for being “wayward,” ignoring the context of intimidation, ignorance, and poverty in which many of these acts occur. In rural areas especially, there are almost no mechanisms in place to protect young girls. Reports of abuse or intimidation often go unaddressed. In some cases, families may be too ashamed or afraid of reprisals, to pursue justice.
This trend simply has to change because once the pregnancy occurs, a deeper tragedy begins to unfold. These girls, still children themselves, have no means of supporting babies. They have no jobs, little or no education, and often no support system. Many were forced out of school, ending their chances of a better life. In some truly horrifying cases, the newborns are sold. Some are handed over to desperate couples unable to navigate the expensive and bureaucratic government adoption process. Others are sold to ritualists, evil actors who believe that the shedding of innocent blood brings them wealth. These practices are not only illegal, they are an affront to humanity.
Nigeria cannot claim moral or spiritual superiority while such crimes continue within its borders, unchallenged. Every child, born or unborn, deserves protection and dignity. The commoditization of babies, whether through sale, ritual killing, or illegal adoption, is a grotesque evil that must be rooted out with urgency. The government must rise to this challenge. Teenage pregnancy is not just a personal issue, it is a national crisis. Therefore, government intervention must be multi-layered and community-based.
The first line of action is education. Schools must be mandated to teach age-appropriate, medically accurate sex education that includes information about contraception, consent and healthy relationships. Ignorance is not innocence: it is vulnerability. Condoms and other contraceptives must be made freely available and accessible to teenagers by governments at state and local levels. Clinics, pharmacies, and youth centres should be safe spaces where young people can seek advice without fear of judgment or reprisal.
There must be robust legal measures to punish those who coerce or intimidate girls into sex. Rape, sexual assault, and statutory offences must be prosecuted swiftly and publicly. The message must be clear: the abuse of children will not be tolerated any more. Girls must be encouraged to report any instances of intimidation, coercion, or abuse. Community-based reporting systems can involve local vigilantes, traditional leaders, religious heads, and family elders. These bodies must be trained to handle such reports sensitively and effectively. The Tinubu-led administration must champion this campaign to save our young daughters from this indignity they have suffered for so long.
The government should invest more in youth empowerment programmes that provide skilled acquisition, mentorship, and employment opportunities. A girl who sees a bright future for herself is less likely to risk that future through unprotected sex. Parents must also be educated. Many of them do not actually know how to speak to their children about sex. Workshops and community programmes should be organized to equip parents with the tools to guide and support their children appropriately.
Nigeria is a deeply religious and traditional country. Our pastors, imams, chiefs, and elders wield enormous influence. These institutions must stop preaching condemnation of single mothers. They should start to offer them support and solutions. Rather than stigmatize unmarried pregnant girls, they should embrace them with compassion. Religious leaders can help create safe spaces where girls are mentored and supported. Traditional rulers can decree community standards that protect young girls and hold offenders accountable.
There is also an urgent need for cultural re-evaluation. Practices and proverbs that blame the girl for any form of sexual interaction must be obliterated. We must move from victim-blaming to perpetrator-accountability. To combat this issue holistically, Nigeria must adopt a national teenage pregnancy prevention strategy with the following pillars: conduct nationwide research to understand the scale and causes of teenage pregnancy in each state; use television, radio, and social media to run educational campaigns targeting both teenagers and adults; ensure that pregnant teenagers have access to free prenatal care, counselling, and safe delivery services; create safe homes for teen mothers where they can stay, learn vocational skills, and eventually re-enter society with dignity and establish an independent monitoring agency to track the effectiveness of interventions and make recommendations.
We must ask ourselves a simple question: what kind of society do we want to build?
A nation that allows its children to raise children without support is a nation failing its future. A nation that allows its daughters to be abused, exploited, and discarded cannot be said to walk in the right direction. A nation that watches its newborns sold to the highest bidder—whether for adoption or rituals, is not one nation under God. This is not merely about policy. It is about conscience. It is about restoring the value and dignity of human life. It is about ensuring that every Nigerian girl, no matter her background, is given the tools to protect her body, build her future, and raise her voice.
The current trajectory is unsustainable. Our children cannot continue like this. The prevailing frequency of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria is not a phase. It is a crisis, a national emergency that demands urgent attention. The government, civil society, religious and traditional institutions, parents, and the young people themselves must come together to rewrite this story. Our daughters deserve more than groping in darkness. They deserve education. They deserve opportunity. They deserve protection. And most importantly, they deserve a future. Let this be the moment we choose to stand for them.
* Asinugo is a London-based veteran journalist, author and publisher of ROLU Business Magazine (Website: https://rolultd.com)
