Nigeria among countries with highest divorce rate- Report

Divorce.com, a United States website which offers resources and support for navigating divorce, has included Nigeria on its list of countries with high divorce rates.

According to data published on their website in July, Nigeria ranked eleventh out of twenty-six countries with the highest divorce rate.

The results were meticulously obtained after sampling respondents from these countries and compiling statistics from 16 primary sources, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable research process.

The report also revealed a significant trend. Women in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, are taking the initiative in divorce more often than men, a powerful reflection of changing gender dynamics.

According to the data, Maldives has the highest divorce rate at 5.52 per cent, while India has the lowest rate at 0.01 per cent.

Maldives tops the list because women in the country have become more financially independent and can sustain themselves without husbands. Also, there is little to no stigma associated with getting divorced in modern Maldives.

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.

Rationale

Divorce.com 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.

Just like Maldives, Nigeria was ranked eleventh among the countries with the highest divorce rate because its women are financially independent and can sustain themselves without husbands.

They stated that the data was arrived at based on scholars’ belief that high divorce rates in Western countries stem from the reduced stigma surrounding divorce and the growing financial independence of women.

Countries with higher divorce rates than Nigeria include the Maldives, Cuba 2.9 per cent, Finland 2.4 per cent, Sweden 2.5 per cent, Denmark 2.7 per cent and Ukraine 3.1 per cent.

For instance, Canada, a country with a similar socio-economic profile to Nigeria, had a divorce rate of 2.8 per cent, while India, a country with a different cultural and religious context, had a divorce rate of 0.1 per cent.

Other countries with lower divorce rates than Nigeria include Malta 0.6 per cent, Ireland 0.7 per cent, Guatemala 0.6 per cent, Venezuela 0.7 per cent, Uruguay 0.8 per cent, Austria 1.6 per cent, and Belgium 1.8 per cent.

Factors that contributed to divorce

According to Divorce.com, various factors influence a country’s divorce rate, and these factors differ across continents.

In the countries with the highest divorce rates, religion, local divorce laws, lack of social support, and limited employment opportunities are significant contributors.

These factors can lead to a breakdown in trust and communication, making it difficult for couples to maintain a healthy and committed relationship.

Other common factors include marrying too young 45.1 per cent, financial hardship 36.7 per cent, substance abuse 40.6 per cent, and domestic violence 23.5 per cent.

Africa

Additionally, eleven other African countries were ranked behind Nigeria in divorce rates.

These countries include Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Mauritius, Libya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Egypt’s divorce rate was 2.2 per cent, Algeria’s 1.6 per cent, Tunisia’s 1.2 per cent, Sudan’s 1.5 per cent, Mauritius’ 1.7 per cent, Libya’s 0.2 per cent, and South Africa’s 0.4 per cent.

Furthermore, Ethiopia has a divorce rate of 2.6 per cent, Kenya 0.06 per cent, Zimbabwe 0.07 per cent, and Mozambique 0.04 per cent.

Determining factors

According to Divorce.com, the primary factors influencing divorce rates in Africa include age at first marriage, financial independence, polygyny, and HIV/AIDS risks.

The report also revealed that women in sub-Saharan Africa initiated divorce more often than men.

Specifically, 34.6 per cent of women with secondary school education, 38.6 per cent of those living in urban areas, 57.6 per cent employed outside the household, and 75.1 per cent in monogamous unions have divorced.

Additionally, they highlighted that marriage stability in sub-Saharan African countries mainly depends on religion and extended family ties.

“In particular, conservative Christians, who considered divorce a taboo in the past, now increasingly believe it to be a better option than domestic violence and infidelity.

“In addition, if a marriage requires paying a substantial amount of money to the bride’s family, maternal relatives will try to keep the union from falling apart. Otherwise, they will have to return the portion or all of the “bride price”, Divorce.com added.