FG MOVES TO REVIEW NATIONAL MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE POLICY
By: Safiya Abdulrahim DABBAN
The Federal Government is set to review Nigeria’s national policy on marriage and divorce to reflect the country’s diverse socio-cultural and legal realities.
The Overseeing Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mrs Mary Afan, disclosed this at a consultation workshop on the Draft Harmonised Protocol for Marriage and Divorce Registration in Nigeria held in Abuja.
Afan said the review would address ambiguities in existing marriage laws and clarify the rights of parties involved, while also improving coordination among institutions responsible for marriage and divorce registration.
She noted that marriage and divorce registration remained fragmented, with churches, mosques and courts using different procedures and record-keeping systems.
The Director-General of the Commission, Dr Abuh Mohammed, said the workshop was part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
The workshop brought together representatives from relevant institutions, including Christian and Muslim clerics, magistrates and khadis, to discuss ways of improving marriage and divorce registration across the country.