The Federal Government has declared that most Nigerian marriages are “illegal” as only 314 worship centres have licence to conduct weddings under the statutory Marriage Act.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Barr. Georgina E. Ehuriah, who was speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ conference on conduct of statutory marriages in accordance with the Marriage Act cap, M6, LFN 2004 as amended, said that only about 4, 689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior, of which only 314 have renewed their licenses
She said “At present, only about 4, 689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior, of which only 314 have renewed their licenses. The implication of this is that marriages conducted in unlicensed places of worship are not in line with the Marriage Act and cannot serve legal purposes when the need arises, and such unlicensed places of worship are operating contrary to Section 6(1) of the Marriage Act.”