This research examines the enforceability of statutory age limits for marriage in Nigeria, with particular focus on the legal and structural challenges undermining effective implementation. It analyses relevant constitutional and statutory provisions, including
the Child Rights Act, the Marriage Act and the Matrimonial Causes Act, highlighting areas of ambiguity and inconsistency. The work further explores the impact of Nigeria’s federal structure and plural legal system, which allows statutory, customary, and religious laws to operate concurrently, thereby weakening uniform enforcement. It finds that while the legal framework provides formal protection against underage marriage, enforcement remains limited in practice due to constitutional uncertainty, uneven domestication of child protection laws, and weak judicial intervention. The paper concludes by proposing legal and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the enforceability of statutory age limits for marriage in Nigeria. It further examines the social, cultural, and legal consequences of child marriage on the protection and development of minors within Nigerian society.

Keywords: Marriage, Child Marriage, Child Right’s Act, Plural Legal System, Federalism.