Underage marriage in the Nigerian Society: Social-economic effects and the way forward

Abstract

In the Nigerian society, underage marriage today remains one of the most challenging phenomena that demands urgent attention. It is  often deployed by some parents as a response to crisis considered to be the best possible means of protecting children from rape and  other related vices. The study investigated the issue of underage marriage in the Nigerian society: The Social and Economic Effects and  the Way Forward. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach. Findings from the research showed that, religion, illiteracy and  poverty were the reasons why parents gave out their underage children in marriage. The study recommended that government, religious  leaders and traditional rulers should be engaged through conventional, traditional and social media with a view to sensitizing  the parents on the social and economic effects of underage marriage for the way forward.