By Abdulrasaq Kamaldeen
Domestic violence remains one of the most pervasive violations of women’s rights in Nigeria. Despite the existence of progressive laws and international commitments, many women continue to endure physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse, often at the hands of intimate partners. Photo retrieved from TheGuardian
A 2025 report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) highlights the severity of the crisis, documenting 3,361 cases of domestic violence and 1,152 cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Tragically, many women have suffered life-altering injuries or lost their lives. Perpetrators frequently justify these acts as a form of discipline or correction for perceived wrongs by their partners.
Although men can also be victims, women remain the primary targets. The same physical strength that men could use to support and protect their partners is instead deployed to intimidate, abuse, and injure them. This pattern persists even in the 21st century, reflecting outdated attitudes that treat wives as subordinates rather than partners.
Key Statistics and Trends
According to the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) Summary Report, 19% of Nigerian women aged 15–49 experienced physical violence in the 12 months preceding the survey. The highest rates were recorded in Bayelsa (24%), while the lowest were in Jigawa (1%). Among ever-married women, current or former husbands or intimate partners are the most common perpetrators.
Additionally, 5% of women aged 15–49 have ever experienced sexual violence, with 3% reporting it in the past 12 months. Sexual violence is most prevalent among women who have never married but had an intimate partner (12%), followed by those who are divorced, separated, or widowed (11%).
Overall, among women who have ever been married or had an intimate partner, 23% have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence from their current or most recent partner. Emotional violence is the most common form (19%), followed by physical violence (13%) and sexual violence (4%). The rate of intimate partner violence reaches 41% among divorced, separated, or widowed women.
Historical data reveals a worrying trend. In 2017, 14% of Nigerian women experienced physical violence, mostly from intimate partners. By 2019, according to the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, 30% had experienced physical violence, while 68% encountered emotional, economic, or sexual abuse. Globally, the United Nations Women reported in 2025 that 736 million women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, with 38% of all female homicides committed by intimate partners.
Contributing Factors and the Legal Gaps
Several interconnected factors fuel domestic violence in Nigeria. These include harmful cultural and traditional practices, poverty, forced or early marriages, and deeply rooted gender power imbalances. Patriarchal systems often normalize male dominance and female subordination, framing violence as a private family matter. Many women remain silent to protect family reputation and avoid societal stigma, perpetuating the cycle across generations.
Nigerian law provides several protections. Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees the right to dignity of the human person. It explicitly prohibits torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, slavery, servitude, and forced labour.
The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) of 2015 is a landmark legislation at the federal level. Key provisions include Section 19, which prohibits spousal battery; Section 9, which addresses forceful ejection from the home; and Section 14, which outlaws emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse. However, implementation remains weak. Many states have yet to domesticate the Act, creating legal gaps that allow abuse to continue unchecked.
Institutional Responses and the Devastating Impacts
Various government bodies have initiated interventions. In 2022, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development distributed empowerment equipment — such as popcorn machines, hair dryers with salon accessories, grinding machines, and mortars — to survivors of gender-based violence. The ministry also provided training for women with disabilities on reporting violence.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) established a Gender Unit in June 2021 to protect and rescue victims of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. In April 2025 also, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, empowered survivors of gender-based violence, reaffirming the ministry’s mandate to formulate policies, guidelines, and frameworks to combat violence and support women, children, and vulnerable groups.
The consequences of domestic violence extend far beyond immediate injuries. Women who experience it are at higher risk of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, stigma, and family breakdown. Reproductive health is often compromised, leading to unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, miscarriages, antepartum haemorrhage, preeclampsia, and preterm delivery.
Children raised in violent homes also suffer. A mother enduring abuse may become emotionally unavailable or distracted, affecting her ability to provide proper care. Shafaatu Suleiman, Executive Leader of Gender Educators, aptly described the issue: “Domestic violence in Nigeria takes a larger portion of Gender-Based Violence. It is often overlooked because it happens within the household. It comes in many forms… Many cultural norms and beliefs have normalized it, especially against women. A woman facing violence in her home often keeps quiet to preserve the family secret and avoid societal judgment.”
The Catalyst for Change
Domestic violence is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria, yet it persists despite legal frameworks and advocacy efforts. It is a long-term issue that affects entire generations, undermining women’s health, emotional well-being, economic independence, and fundamental rights.
Therefore, protecting women’s rights and ensuring their safety is not merely a legal or moral obligation; it is fundamental to Nigeria’s social and economic development. Only through collective action by government, civil society, communities, and individuals can domestic violence be significantly reduced and, ultimately, eradicated.