Women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria
Nigeria: Women who were first married by age 18 was 33.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria, 1990–2024
Source: UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of women ages 20-24.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 33.4% for women who were first married by age 18 in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of down 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria peaked at 51.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 33.4%, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 10th of 31 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 20-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.9% | — |
| 2003 | 43.3% | -16.6% |
| 2008 | 39.4% | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 42.8% | +8.6% |
| 2018 | 43.4% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 33.4% | -23.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 33.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.8%, 1.3× the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 33.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.2%, 1.1× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.9% | 51.9% | 51.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 41.3% | 39.4% | 43.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 43.1% | 42.8% | 43.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 33.4% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,301 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 257,921 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria?
- Women who were first married by age 18 in Nigeria was 33.4% in 2024, according to UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest women who were first married by age 18 recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 51.9% in 1990.
- What is the lowest women who were first married by age 18 recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.4% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for women who were first married by age 18?
- Nigeria ranks 10th out of 31 countries with data for 2024.
- Is women who were first married by age 18 rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Women who were first married by age 18 (% of women ages 20-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Women who were first married by age 18 refers to the percentage of women ages 20-24 who were first married by age 18.