Spatial Analysis of Child Marriage in Nigeria

Substantial progress has been made on the eradication of child marriage in Nigeria by enacting the Child Right Act passed in 2003 that imposed the minimum age of marriage to be 18+ years far girls. Despite this act, child marriage still persists in the country especially in the northern part. Factors affecting child marriage differ across states. In this article, the Moran's index and Getis Ord were used in identifying the spatial pattern and hotspots using 2008 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey data. The factors considered in this research work include wealth index, religion, residence and mother's education.  The result showed that the observed clustering pattern in child marriage could be a result of random chance (p10.001).  The high concentration associated with Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara indicated that girls coming from poorest and poorer quintile of wealth index have higher risk of being married before aye 18. Religion was a major determinant of child marriage in Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. Girls in the rural areas of Bauchi, Combe, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi„ Zamfam are greatly affected. In Bauchi, Borne, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina; Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, educational status of the mother was a significant factor of child marriage. Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi and Goinbe states were identified as hotspots for child marriage.

 

 

 

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