Nigeria has been ranked third globally among countries with the highest number of women and girls affected by female genital mutilation (FGM), underscoring the persistence of a practice widely condemned as a violation of human rights despite years of advocacy and legal reforms.
According to stakeholders and health advocates, Nigeria trails only Egypt and Ethiopia in the number of women and girls who have undergone FGM. UNICEF estimates that nearly 20 million Nigerian women and girls are survivors of the practice, accounting for one of the largest affected populations in the world.
Recent data indicate that some states in southern Nigeria continue to record high prevalence rates. Campaigners have identified Ekiti and Osun among the states where the practice remains particularly widespread, despite increasing public awareness campaigns and legal prohibitions.
Health experts warn that female genital mutilation can result in severe physical and psychological consequences, including infections, childbirth complications, long-term trauma and other health risks. International organisations including UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have repeatedly called for stronger community-based efforts to eliminate the practice.
Although Nigeria enacted legislation prohibiting FGM through the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, activists argue that enforcement remains inconsistent, particularly in rural communities where cultural and social pressures continue to sustain the practice. They stress that legal measures must be complemented by education, public enlightenment and grassroots mobilisation to achieve lasting change.
The latest figures have renewed calls for government agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders and civil society organisations to intensify efforts aimed at protecting girls from harmful traditional practices and advancing the rights, health and dignity of women across the country.
