
The recent announcement by popular musician, Tuface Idibia, that he is getting a divorce from his wife Anne, has brought the conversation about divorce back to prominence. There is a growing divorce rate in Nigerian marriages which has its effects on society.
A report from divorce.com shows that out of 26 countries, Nigeria has the 11th highest divorce rate, and the report showed that women in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Nigeria, are more actively involved in filing for divorce compared to men.
The report claimed that Nigeria’s divorce rate reached 2.9 per cent in 2023 based on available data on marriage and divorce, which translates to 1.8 per cent divorces per 1,000 people in the same year.
Of the countries with the highest divorce rate, Maldives tops the list with 5.52 percent of divorce cases while India has the lowest rate at 0.01 percent.
Research shows that some of the factors fueling divorces include lack of trust, infidelity, domestic violence, communication problems, lack of commitment, financial problems, substance abuse, intimacy issues, constant arguing and incompatibility.
However, India has the lowest divorce rates because marriage is highly valued, and divorce has historically been stigmatised, which has created intense social pressure to maintain the marriage, even in the face of difficulties.
Fewer Married Women
While the report shows that most women are the initiators of divorce, UN data revealed that West Africa, Eastern Africa, and Middle Africa have decreased the number of married women in unions across the globe.
West Africa experienced the largest decline in the number of married women, with a 5% decrease over ten years from 2010 to 2020. Middle Africa and Eastern Africa followed, with a 3.3% decrease in the share of married women in Eastern Africa and a 3.2% decline in Middle Africa.

On the other hand, Northern Africa and Eastern Asia are the only regions that had an increase in the share of women who are married from 2010 to 2020.
Reducing the Growing Number of Divorces
Studies reveal that divorce can lead to all sorts of psychological and behavioural problems in children. It can cause them to have relational issues with their parents, siblings, and others due to their fear of abandonment. Also, divorce can be detrimental to the health of separated spouses.
Kafilat Taiwo is a Data Journalist & Research executive at Dataphyte with a background in mass communication. She uses research and data to tell stories around Health, Accountability, Gender, Solutions journalism and Investigative reporting to influence change and development.