The Impact of Child’s Rights Act Adoption on Adolescent Childbearing and School Enrolment in Nigeria

Lydia Adeoye, Obafemi Awolowo University
Sola Asa, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

Child marriage is a key driver of adolescent pregnancy, and this has implications for adolescent mothers and their children. The Child Rights Act (CRA) was passed in 2003, which stipulated that the minimum age of marriage is 18. Recent studies have examined the impact of an increase in the minimum age of marriage on fertility and school enrolment, however, the evidence remains inconclusive and little is known about the case of a developing country like Nigeria. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of the adoption of the CRA in Nigeria and its implications for adolescent childbearing and school enrolment. Data was sourced from the NDHS. The study will employ the staggered difference-in-differences model. The findings will further aid in the understanding of the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the CRA in Nigeria, and prescribe alternative/complimentary policy options that could prove helpful in the effort towards the reduction of child marriage and adolescent childbearing.