Many young Nigerians are delaying marriage and family life because they simply cannot afford it, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has revealed.
The agency said a survey conducted in Nigeria found that economic hardship and the rising cost of housing are the biggest reasons many youths remain single, despite wanting to get married and have children.
Speaking during the 2026 World Population Day commemoration, UNFPA Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafiko, said unemployment, underemployment, soaring living costs, insecurity and poor access to quality education and healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services, are making it difficult for young people to build the futures they desire.
She said the harsh realities have left many youths unable to confidently plan for marriage and parenthood.
“It is easy for us to assume that younger generations have given up on marriage and children altogether, but our survey tells a different story. Most respondents say their ideal relationship involves marriage, yet among those who want a partner, many are single because of economic and housing constraints, the most commonly cited barriers,” she said.
Mafiko added that most young people still dream of having children, with two being the preferred family size in many regions.
“It is uncertainty—not unwillingness—that is preventing young people from starting the families they want,” she said, urging governments to adopt policies that remove barriers facing young people.
She stressed that governments must create an environment where young people feel secure enough to make life-changing decisions, saying investments in healthcare, family planning, parental leave, childcare and other social support programmes would help them realise their aspirations.
Mafiko also described Nigeria’s youthful population as one of its greatest strengths, saying empowering young people to innovate, build resilience and thrive would secure the country’s future.
Also speaking, Chairman of the National Population Commission, Dr Aminu Yusuf, said about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is below the age of 30.
He said the huge youth population offers vast opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, technological advancement and economic growth, but warned that Nigeria would only reap a demographic dividend if it invested in its young people.
