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10.1177/030662402236741
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria
Teenage Prostitution and the Future
of the Female Adolescent in Nigeria
Oluyemisi Bamgbose
Abstract:Nigeria has a large number of adolescents living andmaking a living on the streets.
This has been attributed to economic factors and exposure to all forms of risks. The result is the
proliferation of prostitution among the adolescents with its attendant problems. This article
considers the different forms of adolescent prostitutes: those in brothels, street walkers, call
girls, and casual, part-time, or floating prostitutes, as well as the trafficking of adolescent girls
across international borders. The causes of adolescent prostitution in Nigeria are largely eco-
nomic, sociological, and socioeconomic factors. A two-dimensional approach was adopted in
considering the attitude to prostitution. Coping mechanisms include endurance, self-medication,
seeking medical attention, and adaptation. The effects of prostitution are psychological reac-
tions, psychosocial damage, and the political implication, which damages the image of the
nation. Approaches to combat adolescent prostitution inNigeria include legislative steps, gov-
ernmental efforts, policy making, awareness programs, and the efforts of nongovernmental
organizations, community conscientization, and societal measures.
Nigeria, like many developing countries, has a large number of adolescents living
and making a living on the streets. According to Osirike (1998), adolescents con-
stitute about 43% of the Nigerian population and make up the lower segment of
the active population. They are forced to adopt survival strategies that are neces-
sary to survive on the harsh realities of street life. This situation is contrary to
known cultural practices where young children are under the protection of their
parents, extended family members, and the community as a whole. It is also con-
trary to the principles in the International Instruments to which Nigeria is a signa-
tory. The Nigerian government is not supportive of the situation in which the ado-
lescents find themselves and is making every effort to protect these adolescents.
The truth is that in Nigeria, cultural values have broken down. The rights of the
adolescents to life and to proper development are being flagrantly abused. This
has been attributed to many factors, including societal and economic factors. One
of the results is the proliferation of prostitution among the adolescents, with its
attendant problems. Farley (1998) said, “At best, prostitution might be called a
means of survival if you want a place to sleep, food to eat and a way to get off the
street for a short time, then you allow yourself to be sexually assaulted. At its
worst, prostitution is kidnapping, torture and the sale of parts of your body for sex
by third parties.”
In the past several years, considerable interest in issues pertaining to adoles-
cents has developed in many countries. Therefore, there have been many outcries
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 46(5), 2002 569-585
DOI: 10.1177/030662402236741
 2002 Sage Publications
569
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570 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
concerning the violent situation in which adolescents live, especially those who
lead a life of prostitution. Prostitution is not per se a crime in Nigeria. It is, rather, a
crime in relation to persons who assist, induce, encourage, trade, aid, or abet pros-
titution. Under the Criminal Code (1990) and the Penal Code (1990) applicable in
Southern and Northern Nigeria, respectively, the following are some criminal acts
relating to prostitution of adolescent girls in Nigeria:
1. having unlawful carnal knowledge with a girl under the age of 16,
2. householders permitting defilement of young girls on the premises,
3. hawking custody or care of a girl under 16 years and causing or encouraging prosti-
tution,
4. procuring girls under the age of 18 years to have unlawful carnal knowledge with
persons in or outside Nigeria or to become a prostitute,
5. procuring a young girl to leave Nigeria with intent to become an inmate of a brothel
in or outside Nigeria,
6. abduction of young girls with intent of having carnal knowledge with such girls,
7. trading in prostitution,
8. managing or keeping a brothel, and
9. aiding or abetting prostitution.
The problem of prostitution is not peculiar to Nigeria. A report released by the
Global March Against Child Labor (“Worst Forms of Child Labour,” 2001)
showed the shocking exploitation of children in almost every part of the world.
Africa and Asia, however, host most problems of child prostitution. Child prosti-
tution is prevalent in many of the countries in West Africa. It is widespread in
Ghana (“Child Labour Prevails in Ghana,” 2001). It drew the attention of the gov-
ernment in the Republic of Benin following the saga of a suspect slave ship in the
region in April 2001 (“Child Slavery on Agenda,” 2001). In Togo, child prostitu-
tion is a serious problem (Hughes, Sporcic, Mendelsohn, & Chirgivin, 1999). In a
single month, January 1998, a total of 199 Togolese children were brought back
from various countries in West Africa and returned to their legitimate parents.
Ivory Coast also has its share of child prostitution problems (“Ivorian Govern-
ment Blames Industry,” 2001). The Ivorian government has put the blame for this
type of child slavery on the industries.
Contrary to popular belief, prostitution is practiced by both males and females,
although females are in the majority. This article, however, draws attention to
prostitution among female adolescents in Nigeria. The author, being a Nigerian, is
concerned about the rights of the children and the adolescents. Statistics have
shown that in cross-border trafficking of children for prostitution, Nigeria is one
of the countries known to be the main provider of child domestic labor (UNICEF,
1996). Young girls are tricked into prostitution in the belief that they will be
housemaids. In 1997, about 700 children were found by law enforcement agents
on the Nigerian-Benin borders and returned to their parents (“Child Peddling a
Serious Problem,” 1998).
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 571
Coupled with this fact are the frequent international news reports about the
prevalence of Nigerian children involved in prostitution both within and outside
the country. There is a concern because of the serious implications of the effects of
prostitution on the female adolescent. The female physiological structure, espe-
cially in relation to the reproductive life cycle, encompasses important events
such as the onset of puberty. According to Owuamanan (1995), this is a period of
intense sexual drives, sexual experimentation, and exploration. The research
methodology adopted in this article is basically a descriptive study and a literature
review of adolescent prostitution in Nigeria. The article discusses the history,
trends, and causes of female adolescent prostitution in Nigeria and the emergency
caused by it. Its implications and present efforts at combating the problems and
the various legal and nonlegal strategies for preventing and eliminating this form
of prostitution are highlighted.
HISTORY AND EMERGENCE OF
FEMALE ADOLESCENT PROSTITUTION IN NIGERIA
Adolescent prostitution is now out in the open in Nigeria after decades of what
has amounted to a cross-cultural conspiracy of silence. It is a phenomenon also
thought to be taking place in some Asian and Latin American countries where,
according to Sack (1996), it has assumed the proportion of a multibillion-dollar
industry with adolescents being sold and traded like other mass-produced goods.
It is no longer restricted to certain parts of the world; it has penetrated into Nige-
rian society and is now a thriving business in most Nigerian cities. Writing on the
history of prostitution in Nigeria, Naanem (1991) traced the rise of commercial
sex workers, an aphorism for prostitution, to colonialism and the sexual habits of
the colonist. Colonization, it was said, led to an increasingly monetary economy
where sex could be bought like any other commodity. Many decades ago, there
was an inaccurate conception that only young widows or separated wives were
involved in prostitution. It is now clear from recent revelations that the sex indus-
try is also flooded with female adolescents.
The disturbing fact of this recent development is that some parents and guard-
ians of the young girls involved in this illicit trade are quite aware of this problem.
And some government officials and unscrupulous barons choose not to talk about
it as a serious problem, either because they are directly or indirectly benefiting
from the proceeds of such heinous activities or they are simply not bothered.
To well-meaning Nigerians, the issue of adolescent prostitution is a national
tragedy. This is because, traditionally, premarital virginity is expected and cher-
ished. This culture was so valued that the families that protected their daughters
from premarital sex were honored. In addition, virgins were treated with greater
respect and esteem (Feyisetan & Pebley, 1989). Considering the great impor-
tance attached to virginity, parents exercised control over their daughters and
prevented them from waywardness. However, these customs are disappearing.
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572 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
What is being witnessed now is the gradual but pervasive erosion of the tradi-
tional premarital sexual norms and the indiscriminate sexual activities of female
adolescents.
Attention must be given to this new development because of the sheer size of
the adolescent population. According to Makinwa-Adebusoye (1991) and
Faleyimu (1997), about one in every five people in Nigeria is between the ages of
10 and 19, a little more than 26 million people. The adolescent stage is also a time
of hope, expectation, and excitement with immense prospects. It is a period of
constant change in a person’s life—physically, emotionally, and intellectually—a
crucial period that can determine the future. It is expected that the stage should
normally end in the emergence of an emotionally mature adult equipped to lead a
socially and economically productive life. With the above facts, the trend and
forms of female prostitution will be discussed.
FORMS AND TRENDS
The underground nature of the activities of these prostitutes and the illegal
nature of the industry makes it difficult to gather reliable data. As stated above, the
traditional importance of premarital virginity is gradually breaking down, and the
trend is for some female adolescents to engage in premarital sex and prostitution.
As observed by Nakajima (1994), the rate at which this trend is growing is alarm-
ing. Presently, the trend is that adolescent prostitution is given a new orientation
with more glamour and sophistication. The consequence is the creation of differ-
ent classes of prostitutes.
The trend in prostitution in Nigeria has changed from the way it was a few
decades ago. Present trends show that younger girls are now taking over this illicit
business from the older women who hitherto were the dominant practitioners. As
will be discussed later in this article, the men who patronize the sex industry prefer
these younger prostitutes. This does not mean that older women no longer engage
in prostitution. Older women are still found in prostitution, either as practitioners
with fewer clients or, now, commonly as pimps or “madams” who procure and
train the younger prostitutes.
There are different forms of adolescent prostitution. Adisa (1997) and Olutayo
(1997) identified the forms of prostitution as including those in brothels, street-
walkers, call girls, and casual, part-time, or “floating” prostitutes. Unlike the tra-
ditional prostitutes who are usually older women, adolescent prostitutes start their
career in prostitution in more comfortable hotel rooms or in a more sophisticated
style. This is what gave rise to the form of prostitution termed the “Sugar Daddy
Syndrome.” Under the Sugar Daddy Syndrome, young girls patronize men, usu-
ally older in age, for sexual pleasure. Such older men who are wealthy are usually
referred to as “sugar daddies” or “man friends.” They are the favorites of adoles-
cent girls who seek financial and material support in return for their services. The
duration of this relationship lasts longer than a one-night stand, and the economic
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 573
power wielded by such older and wealthy men irrespective of educational status
puts the young girls involved in a particularly vulnerable position.
Another form of prostitution in which the adolescents are mostly found is that
referred to as “night brides.” According to Adisa (1997), these female adolescents
adorn the major streets and junctions of the cities at night waiting for would-be
customers. Such young girls take any person who is ready to pay for their services,
and preference is given to foreigners who are able to pay in foreign currency. The
fee depends on the nature of arrangement and the timing. One important aspect of
prostitution among adolescent females is that some are involved in it as a part-
time activity, whereas others take it as a full-time job. Many of the part-timers are
students in secondary schools and universities who combine prostitution with
schooling. They need the money to pay fees or acquire material things, such as
clothes and shoes.
Similar to the night brides are the “floating prostitutes.” These categories of
adolescents are found in motor parks and markets in the daytime, either loitering
or involved in petty trading. It has been found that their mates or older men sexu-
ally abuse many of these girls in exchange for small amounts of money or gifts,
which some of them hand over to their families.
The Women’s Right Monitor (1995), a nongovernmental organization in Nige-
ria, uncovered a sex haven in Lagos. Most of the victims were discovered to be
street kid hawkers lured into sex for money. In many of the cases, the girls had a
desire to go into the numerous film houses located in the area but could not afford
the gate fees. Unscrupulous men who are found around the film houses take advan-
tage of the girls by paying the gate fee to watch X-rated films. The girls are then
encouraged to put into practice what they had watched. Sources revealed that the
girls often find it a delight to go back having in mind that they can be “helped out.”
In a Nigerian newspaper report (“Blind Man Rapes Schoolgirl,” 2000), a blind
man who was in the habit of sending young schoolgirls on errands, after which he
gave them a small amount of money in return for sexual gratification, was
arrested. He was arrested when a young girl who had been indulging in such acts
for a token of money that she thought was a show of appreciation for errands car-
ried out for the blind man, decided to introduce another young girl to the “benefit.”
This shows the effect of enticement on the adolescent.
Another form of prostitution popular amongst female adolescents in higher
institutions of learning in Nigeria is a more organized form involving “call girls.”
In such cases, male and female pimps get in contact with already known and avail-
able females whenever there is a demand for them. The male clients in this form of
prostitution are usually rich and influential men in the society. This fact suggests
the oppressive nature of prostitution. The pimps live on the commission for mak-
ing the contact.
The last form of prostitution discussed is the trafficking of adolescent girls
across the international borders. It has assumed a trade dimension denting the
image of the nation (Ayodele, 2000a). It is a highly organized form of prostitution
by syndicates. The strategy adopted by the syndicate is to lure the girls by deceit in
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574 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
the name of better living conditions. These girls later find themselves engaged in
prostitution. On the other hand, some girls go into prostitution willingly because
of the material benefits and the imagined changes in status that the proceeds from
prostitution will bring. It is shocking that in a country where family ties are
proudly flaunted as being closely knit, parents and guardians are also involved in
the trafficking in exchange for material and financial benefits/rewards. Recently,
concerned persons, government officials, and nongovernmental organizations
have expressed great concern about this situation and have condemned prostitu-
tion, especially the aspect of trafficking. Teenage prostitution within and outside
the country has been an embarrassment to the government of the country and dam-
ages the country’s image (“Sex for Sale,” 1993).1 Time magazine, the National
Concord (1987), and The Nigerian Television Authority (1999) all have reported
stories on trafficking of adolescent girls.2
It has been the belief that the practice of prostitution was the result of poverty
and that mostly females from poor family backgrounds indulged in prostitution.
The facts now available on prostitution show that this is not the case. Social val-
ues, consumer lifestyles, and maintaining status in a declining economy have
brought about this change. Adolescent girls from wealthy families are also found
in prostitution. It is therefore important to consider the causes of adolescent pros-
titution in Nigeria.
THE CAUSES OF PROSTITUTION IN NIGERIA
The adolescent sex industry in Nigeria points to a fundamental injustice in the
current materialist world order. It is an indication of a global willingness to sacri-
fice society’s most vulnerable members for the sake of other economic and sexual
gratifications. The truth is that with the involvement of the adolescents in prostitu-
tion, their future is being mortgaged.
The causes of prostitution are examined below.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
Unless there is a change in the economic situation in Nigeria, prostitution will
continue to thrive. The explosion of the adolescent sex trade comes down to the
two basic forces of supply and demand. The widening gap between the rich and
the poor is producing more potential exploiters for the sex industry, and family
members generally condone prostitution as long as it brings economic benefit. A
study by Orubuloye, Caldwell, and Caldwell (1994) attributed female involve-
ment in prostitution to the need to meet the educational expenses. Davis (1971)
had earlier affirmed this and said that in many of his research works on prostitu-
tion, the economic factor was seen as a major cause.
Odiagbe (1994), in a study in the Nigerian state of Edo, also found reasons why
female adolescents are into prostitution. The reasons given include the lack of any
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UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 575
other job and the enjoyment of a relatively high income compared with workers in
the civil service. It is obvious from these studies that high remuneration remains
the driving force, and it is said that prostitution is a relatively easy means to earn
and save money, which could be invested in other activities. The sustenance of
prostitution is the economic motive, and many have remained in it because of the
economic benefit rather than for any other reason. The high rate of unemploy-
ment, poverty, and economic hardship unleashed by the 1986 Structural Adjust-
ment Programme (SAP) in Nigeria contributed considerably to the thriving of
adolescent prostitution.3 The resultant effect of SAP was the need for survival that
then became a prime consideration rather than morals. The survival strategies and
coping mechanism adopted by the females and their families to face the declining
real income include “the offering of a girl of her body for purposes amounting to
lewdness for payment,” which is the legal definition for prostitution (Saunders,
1969) and was adopted with approval in a court decision (Webb, 1963).
The economic motive for prostitution is so strong that Emeke (1996) said it
engenders a state of helplessness amongst the prostitutes with respect to when,
where, and whom to have sex with and whether or not to use a condom in the act.
This strategy is adopted in a desperate effort to save themselves and families from
economic destitution. It is tragic that parents and guardians offer their children
and wards to indulge in such acts. In 1994, for example, a woman thought to be a
destitute sat under a tree in the heart of the city of Lagos with her children—three
girls aged 10 to 13. She offered them as prostitutes to men in exchange for a token
fee of 200 Naira (less than two dollars). The truth of the matter was that the
woman, a widow, was one of those displaced by a demolition exercise without
resettlement and, unable to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, she resorted to
this criminal act unperturbed that her daughters could be murdered or assaulted.
SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS
Societal effects play a prominent role in influencing behavior. Factors such as
rapid urbanization, increased rural urban migration, and high unemployment are
identified as causes of adolescent prostitution. In the southern part of Nigeria,
many of the young girls now have a secondary education and many school gradu-
ates feel insulted to engage in traditional employment, thus contributing to the
high unemployment rate. Prostitution is, therefore, seen as an avenue of employ-
ment for some females in Nigeria; hence, they refer to themselves as commercial
sex workers. The quest for material things, peer influence, changing social values,
and new consumer lifestyles makes young girls ready prey for the so-called sugar
daddies mentioned earlier. The deep-rooted gender discrimination that blurs the
perception of violence committed against girls is another reason for the thriving
and increase in adolescent prostitution.
The economic and societal factors discussed above are not peculiar to the
females or the adolescents alone. However, the female adolescents are mostly
affected. The stage in the life of the adolescent being at an experimental age, vul-
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576 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
nerability, exposure to the harsh realities of the outside world, exploitation, fre-
quent changes in fashion, the quest for material things, greed, the weakened econ-
omy that has resulted in the high rate of unemployment, pressure from peer groups
and, surprisingly, from parents and guardians, and the available clientele who
patronize and prefer the younger prostitutes make female adolescents more sus-
ceptible to prostitution than other groups.
ATTITUDES TOWARD PROSTITUTION
There are two different attitudes toward prostitution in Nigeria, namely the
societal attitude and the attitude of the prostitutes, both of which are discussed
below.
SOCIETAL ATTITUDE
The attitude of society toward prostitution has not been the same over the years
and there have been changes in recent times. This varies from outright condemna-
tion of prostitution in the past to a more liberal attitude at present. This has been
attributed to factors such as modernization, economic factors, and socioeconomic
factors.
According to Busia (1950), before colonization in 1960, the societal attitude
was that prostitution was disgraceful and the kinsmen of a prostitute did not con-
done it. In many communities in Nigeria, great importance was attached to the
community’s reputation and prostitution was frowned on. Young girls involved in
prostitution were repatriated and stern measures were taken against them on their
return to the community. For example, certain clans debarred prostitutes from
attending union functions (Little, 1973). The prostitutes were restricted to their
home areas and had to obtain permission to leave the village area. In other tribes,
rites of purification were carried out and the disability of prostitution status had to
be formally removed (Little, 1973).
According to Caldwell (see Little, 1973), as a result of the anathema associated
with prostitution, there was a very strong emotional pressure exerted on girls to
stay in the village, and this was based on the fear of getting involved in prostitu-
tion. With colonization and modernization, things have changed. There is a more
liberal outlook toward prostitution than the way it was in the past. Although pros-
titution is still not considered as morally acceptable, economic realities have
caused adjustments in moral attitudes. Prostitutes who are able to give financial
support to their extended family members are now tolerated.
Among the Nigerian Hausas, prostitution is now an institution. It is seen as a
way of salvation for women secluded by Muslim law and forced to marry against
their will. It is seen as a way out of traditional conditions and situations that
women had to bear.
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 577
ATTITUDE OF THE ADOLESCENT PROSTITUTES
The studies by Emeke (in Little, 1973) and Olutayo (in Little, 1973) showed
that economic reasons are the overriding consideration in prostitution. Indeed, a
large percentage of the young girls are not ready to quit prostitution. While a
large number are ready to do some other legitimate businesses in the daytime,
they indicated a preference to return to sex work in the evenings. Many claimed
that the stigma on them after being prostitutes would not allow them to live a nor-
mal life out of prostitution. According to Akinnawo (1995), the young prosti-
tutes have adopted coping mechanisms that include seeking medical attention,
endurance, self-medication, adaptation, and consulting traditional doctors and
herbalists.
THE EFFECTS OF PROSTITUTION ON ADOLESCENT GIRLS
The trauma of being prostituted is devastating. This vice, if not checked,
becomes a great nuisance. The health of many of the participants may be jeopar-
dized and other evils associated with it may manifest themselves. The multifac-
eted effects are discussed below.
HEALTH RISKS
Prostitution constitutes a health risk to both the actors and to society at large.
The health implications include HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs). In fact, prostitutes are significant HIV transmitters (Isiugo-Abanihe,
1993). AIDS has become a major public health issue in Nigeria. The World Health
Organization’s figures show that approximately 70,000 Nigerians have developed
full-blown AIDS, and 1 out of every 100 Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 45
years is infected by the dreaded disease. The first case of AIDS in Nigeria was
identified in 1984, involving a sexually active 13-year-old girl (Grange, 1990).
Female adolescents involved in prostitution are confronted with other health
risks: (a) unwanted teenage pregnancy, (b) illicit and illegal abortion, (c) untimely
death (Makinwa-Adebusoye, 1991), (d) higher risks of maternal death, (e) low
birth weight of babies, (f) premature birth, and (g) higher risk of infant morbidity
and mortality.
Pregnancy in very young girls under 18 years of age is most dangerous to
mother and child. There is a higher likelihood of death for the young adolescent
mother during childbirth than older women in their 20s (Grange, 1990).
In Nigeria, abortion is not legalized. It is a crime. In many cases, female adoles-
cents involved in prostitution who become pregnant resort to abortion by
unskilled practitioners. The implication is that it increases the mortality rate of
expectant mothers.
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578 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
PSYCHOSOCIAL DAMAGE
Alongside the health risks is the psychosocial damage inflicted by prostitution.
This causes a hazard to the life of the young girls. The effect is that at such an early
stage of life, the young prostitutes are plunged into a reality in which violence,
distrust, shame, rejection, and low self-esteem are the norm (Reid & Bulman,
1992).
PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS AND PHYSICAL ASSAULT
It has been discovered that many of these young prostitutes suffer from post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a psychological reaction to extremely
stressful events. These reactions include depression, anxiety, irritability, flash-
back, insomnia, nightmares, avoidance of memories of the event, and a general
numbing response to life situations. Other effects that are physical in nature are
incidence of rape, physical assault, and threat with dangerous weapons. The psy-
chological reactions may be a result of the physical assaults that occurred during
the sexual exploitation (Reid & Bulman, 1992).
SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
The society reacts to prostitution and prostitutes alike. Prostitutes are often
shunned, ostracized, and considered unmarriageable. Another aspect of the socio-
logical effect is the spread of HIV/AIDS from the urban to the rural areas. Sex traf-
fickers are known to send young prostitutes who are infected with STDs back
home to the village, where there is usually no medical care. The infected young
prostitutes, who invariably are found unmarriageable, continue in prostitution and
the virus spreads farther. Stigmatization is another sociological effect of prostitu-
tion. There is no opportunity for the reintegration of prostitutes into the society
without the stigma and label of prostitution. Child abandonment is another social
repercussion of prostitution. To avoid the stigma often attached to extramarital
sexual involvement or prostitution, female adolescents are known to have aban-
doned babies conceived as a result of the illicit acts.
POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS
Half a century ago, it was reported that the remittance alone from prostitution
into a part of Southeast Nigeria amounted to more than double the public revenue
(see Reid & Bulman, 1992). Prostitutes claimed that they enjoyed a relatively high
income compared with workers in the civil service (Reid & Bulman, 1992). How-
ever, it must be emphasized that no matter the contribution of the trade of prostitu-
tion into the revenue of the country, prostitution damages the image of a country
(“Prostitution: Envoy Chides Benin Girls,” 2000; The Punch, 2000). Young
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 579
female prostitutes from Nigeria had often been deported back into the country.
There had been features in the international newspapers about the nuisance such
girls cause to the government of such countries. A traditional ruler in the Nigerian
state of Edo expressed great concern on the issue of female prostitutes and their
activities abroad. He sent a petition to the Nigerian federal government and
advised that young girls from his domain should be refused visas into some spe-
cific countries where they cannot justify their reasons for relocating. The tradi-
tional ruler further appealed to indigenes currently involved in prostitution in Italy
to return home in view of the fact that rehabilitation programmes had been put in
place for them (“Erediauwa Recalls Benin Prostitutes,” 2000).4
The present situation of prostitution in Nigeria is complex and requires a multi-
faceted approach in finding a solution. It is therefore pertinent to consider present
efforts and future steps to combat adolescent prostitution in Nigeria.
COMBATING THE ILLS OF PROSTITUTION IN NIGERIA
The approach adopted in combating the ills of prostitution in Nigeria has been
the pooling of efforts by the various sectors. It has been complex and demanding.
This is due to the nature of the practice, which is done in secret, in many cases by
willing partners in the sense that one partner is involved for money or material
gain and the other party for pleasure. The success comes from providing illegal
services to a cooperative public that includes the actors and sometimes parents
and guardians of a willing or coerced victim. Both internationally and nationally,
there has been an effort to address and combat this problem. These efforts are dis-
cussed below.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Nigeria is a signatory to some international instruments that contain provisions
that condemn the sexual exploitation of girls and women. These include the Con-
vention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women of
1981 (CEDAW, 1979) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1990
(CRC, 1989). In the CEDAW (1979), Article 6 provides that countries that have
agreed to the provisions of this convention must do everything within their power
to stop the selling or buying of women. They must also ensure that women are not
being sold into prostitution or for any economic gain. The CRC in Article 34 pro-
vides that state parties must undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual
exploitation and sexual abuse. In that provision, state parties are enjoined to take
all appropriate national bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent engage-
ment of children in any unlawful sexual activity and exploitative use of children in
prostitution.
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580 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
At the regional level, instruments aimed at combating adolescent prostitution
include the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR, 1989). Arti-
cle 18 provides for the elimination of all discrimination against women and also
ensures the protection of the rights of the woman and the child as stipulated in
International Declarations and Conventions.
There are many national laws in place in Nigeria. The Constitution of the Fed-
eral Republic of Nigeria (1999) very nobly highlights the rights and privileges of
the adolescent. They are legally accorded protection from abuse such as prostitu-
tion. However, where there is an absolute lack of social and economic security, the
reality is that the female adolescent has the brutal choice between any type of
work including prostitution and starvation. Other legislation is The Children and
Young Persons’ Act (1958), which ensures the welfare of young persons.
GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL EFFORTS
The Government of Nigeria has not been complacent in combating prostitu-
tion. There have been the concerted efforts of both governmental and
nongovernmental agencies in addressing this problem. However, there is room for
improvements from both kinds of agencies. Some actions taken so far by these
agencies are highlighted and expectations in the nearest future are examined. The
agencies considered are the law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and the
nongovernmental organizations.
The Law Enforcement Agencies
The police especially play a crucial role in enforcing the laws enumerated
above. There is no doubt that the control of prostitution is demanding because
some members of the public condone it and the highly placed barons have vested
interest in it. However, the police have continued to display courage and to main-
tain integrity in pressing charges against persons encouraging such acts. This
should continue without fear or favor of personalities involved. The activities of
the security operatives in Nigeria on this issue are commendable. They have acted
swiftly in combating prostitution, especially in the area of trafficking. However,
there is room for improvement (Effah, 1996).
Security operatives at the borders have tightened up security and are alert to
cases of smuggling children in and out of the country. It may be argued that open
borders symbolize friendship between nations, but to many innocent young girls,
it is a passport to hell. There is a need for internal cleansing of unscrupulous and
corrupt security officers who take bribes from traffickers and agents and look the
other way while they cross the borders with their human cargo.
Recently, the federal government established a national committee on human
trafficking in the country to help fashion out an enabling policy to guide the gov-
ernment in finding a lasting solution to the problem. The committee, made up of
three subcommittees—enforcement, publicity, and legislation—is charged with
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 581
the responsibility for formulating measures that would adequately address the
illegal human trade (“FG Tackles Prostitution,” 2000).
The Judiciary
Generally, due to many factors, the process of prosecution in Nigeria is
lengthy. A speedier and more efficient system of adjudication and disposition of
cases involving adolescent prostitution should be adopted. Traffickers found
guilty should be punished to serve as deterrence to others.
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
In Nigeria, NGOs have played a crucial part in combating the ills of adolescent
prostitution. Organizations such as the Nigerian Venereal Disease Association,
Center for Youth, Family, and the Law, Legal Research and Resource Develop-
ment Center, Association for Reproductive Health, and many others have made an
impact in this area. They are encouraged to continue the struggle to ensure the
enforcement of the rights and the emancipation of the adolescent.
POLICIES
The federal government in Nigeria recently lifted the embargo on employment
and embarked on a recruitment exercise for all categories of persons. Jobs have
been given to thousands of unemployed persons, and it is hoped that this will
reduce the incidence of prostitution. There are many more policies that the gov-
ernment should put in place to combat adolescent prostitution in Nigeria. These
include economic policies aimed at eliminating poverty and hunger, which are a
major causes of prostitution. Other policies that should be put in place are the
Youth Welfare Policy addressing the peculiar problems of the adolescent and the
Rehabilitative and Adolescent Health Policy that will design rehabilitative pro-
grams and support mechanism. These will be beneficial to those who are ready to
quit prostitution or were rescued from traffickers and would discourage other ado-
lescents from being enticed into prostitution. This will include counseling with a
built-in strategy for behavioral change and cognitive restructuring and an alterna-
tive means of livelihood. This recommendation was made in Nigeria by the coor-
dinator of the Task Force Against Human Trafficking (“FG Tackles Prostitution,”
2000).
RECOMMENDATIONS
In addition to the above, the following are some recommendations aimed at
reducing or totally eliminating the incidence of prostitution amongst female ado-
lescents in Nigeria.
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582 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
AWARENESS PROGRAMS
The level of awareness of the implications of adolescent prostitution should be
heightened. There should be more enlightenment programs by the government,
health-related institutes, and NGOs emphasizing that adolescent prostitution can
bring a nation and her future to ruin. The media, market, and relevant associations
should be actively involved in this campaign. Town criers, which are important
and reliable means of disseminating information in rural communities, should be
cooperating in combating adolescent prostitution (Ayodele, 2000b).
COMMUNITY AND SOCIETAL SENSITIZATION
In Nigeria, there are cultural values where family ties are proudly flaunted as
being closely knit; communities play an important part in upholding rules and reg-
ulations. Breaches of laid down rules attract sanctions on individuals and for the
acts of family members. Legislative restraint and imposition without improve-
ment in the moral fiber of the society will not yield any results. The issue of ado-
lescent prostitution cannot be addressed without considering the attitude of the
buyers of sex. Men who patronize these adolescent prostitutes and the agents who
procure them should realize that their nonpatronage of the sex workers is a step in
the right direction for the building of a healthy nation. In addition, they should be
advised that the survival strategy of a prostitute might become a death trap for
them as client and many unsuspecting persons yet unborn.
These agents of prostitution include the buyers of sex, the traffickers, the inter-
mediaries, the syndicates that run and own brothels, entrepreneurs that organize
sex tours, producers of tourist brochures encouraging the notion that adolescent
girls are sexually available, and the apathetic and corrupt officials who look away.
There should be a review in the legislature on prostitution in Nigeria. Specifically,
the area of soliciting should be looked into. There should be stringent sanctions
for those who solicit prostitution. In the past, the raids carried out by law enforce-
ment agents have resulted in the arrest of only the adolescent prostitutes, while the
clients are neither arrested nor disciplined. The reason given by the law enforce-
ment agents is that the prostitutes are easily identified by the mode of dressing,
whereas soliciting for the clients is not tenable. With more vigilance, shadowing,
and diligence, the male clients who solicit and patronize the prostitutes will be
caught. This type of surveillance and arrest of those who solicit the prostitutes is
being pursued by the police force in the United States of America and is yielding
results. In combating the ills of adolescent prostitution, the focus should be more
on preventive measures than punitive. Harm must not be done to the future leaders
of the nation. No amount of penalty on the prostitutes or the buyers can repair the
damages caused to these adolescent girls.
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Teenage Prostitution in Nigeria 583
CONCLUSION
We are indeed faced with a disturbing and alarming predicament in Nigeria
that concerns the future nation builders—the adolescents. They deserve all the
love and protection that can be offered. The nation will have to rely on their
resources in the future as moving forces in national development in generations to
come. It is crucial that their well-being be foremost in the minds of all Nigerians,
noting that their full potentials will not be developed if the abuses and violations
caused by prostitution continue. Hopefully, in not too distant a time, the full guar-
antee of the right against sexual exploitation such as the protection against prosti-
tution and human trafficking will become a reality for the Nigerian adolescents.
NOTES
1. This issue was of such great concern to the Nigerian Ambassador to Italy that he wrote a letter to
the House of the Assembly of a particular state in Nigeria stating that out of 40,000 Nigerians in Italy,
10,000 are into prostitution and 80% are from that particular area.
2. Time magazine reported the disturbing news that young Nigerian female sex workers were
trooping into countries like Italy and Saudi Arabia. In 1987, the Concord newspaper (April 15, 1987)
reported the story of slave trade involving young girls in a state in Nigeria who were sold to persons
who train them to work as prostitutes; the Nigerian Television Authority Network News at 9 p.m. Feb-
ruary 6, 1999, gave a report of 11 girls and 3 boys from Nigeria who were intercepted by the police in
Bamako, Mali, where they were to be exported to Europe to engage in prostitution.
3. The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was introduced in 1986 in Nigeria in the name of
economic recovery. It was a recommendation by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. It
resulted in the devaluation of the country’s currency. In almost all African countries where SAP was
implemented, the result has been economic hardship.
4. The wife of the Edo state governor has given support to the effort of the traditional ruler in the
fight against prostitution. She launched a state campaign against prostitution that was becoming a
menace among young girls. This has caused embarrassment to the government, as many of the girls
from the state were being deported daily from other countries.
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Oluyemisi Bamgbose
International Comparative Criminal Law and Procedure
Marquette University
and
Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
and
Department of Private and Business Law University of Ibadan
Ibadan, Nigeria
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