Nigeria’s economic hardship and rising housing costs are forcing many young people to delay marriage and starting families, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Speaking at the 2026 World Population Day commemoration, UNFPA Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafiko, said the agency’s survey found that most young Nigerians still aspire to marry and have children, but financial hardship is making those goals increasingly difficult to achieve.
According to Mafiko, unemployment, underemployment, soaring living and housing costs, insecurity, and unequal access to quality education and healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services, are limiting young people’s ability to plan confidently for the future.
“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,” she said.
She explained that although marriage remains the ideal relationship for most respondents, many who desire a partner remain single because of economic and housing constraints.
Mafiko added that the survey also showed most young Nigerians still want children, with two being the preferred family size across many regions. However, concerns about financial stability, access to housing and the ability to care for children are causing many to postpone family life.
“In short, it is uncertainty, not unwillingness, that has young people question whether they can start the families they want,” she said.
The UNFPA official urged governments to respond with policies that provide young people with greater security and opportunities, stressing that leaders have a responsibility to create conditions that allow them to build the futures they desire.
She called for inclusive investments that protect young people’s rights and expand access to family healthcare, parental leave, childcare support and other essential services, enabling them to make informed decisions about their lives and families.
Mafiko also described Nigeria’s youthful population as one of its greatest strengths, saying empowering young people through innovation, resilience and opportunity would help secure the country’s future.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr Aminu Yusuf, said about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is below the age of 30.
He noted that the country’s large youth population presents enormous opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation, technological advancement and economic growth.
However, Yusuf cautioned that a youthful population alone does not guarantee a demographic dividend, stressing that deliberate investments in education, employment, healthcare and skills development are essential to unlock Nigeria’s full potential.
