‘Without Real Opportunities, What Choice Do We Have?’: How Poverty Pushes Women in Rural Nigeria into Prostitution

This article is published in collaboration with Egab, a platform empowering journalists from the Middle East and Africa to publish stories in international media outlets.

Lagos, Nigeria — Blessing, 27, grew up in rural Lagos as the firstborn and only daughter—her family’s biggest hope, yet burdened with their expectations. Her father dismissed education as a waste on a girl, while her mother saw her beauty as their only escape from poverty. 

“If you can’t go to school, at least you can catch a big fish,” she would say, likening her daughter’s worth to the only skill she was ever encouraged to have: catching fish.

“In my community, poverty forces girls like me to become lifelines for their families,” Blessing told More to Her Story. “We’re married off to secure wealthy husbands over education or personal aspirations.”

Under mounting pressure and comparisons to young women in her community who brought home money and gifts, Blessing turned to prostitution at 18—a choice, she believes, that was shaped by the patriarchal norms and economic desperation in her society. For Blessing, it was “a last attempt” to reclaim agency over her life.

In Nigeria, where a woman’s worth is often tied to conforming to traditional gender roles, young women face an impossible choice: marry early or struggle to support their families and themselves within a system built to exclude them. Systemic barriers like unequal access to education often leave women unprepared to compete in a male-dominated workforce. Education is a privilege many girls never get; rural men are nearly twice as likely to be literate as women. Of the country’s 18.5 million out-of-school children, 60 percent are girls—many from impoverished families in the north, where education is often seen as a luxury, not a right. Even women who manage to get an education face a persistent wage gap, often earning less than men with lower qualifications. 

For many, marriage is seen as the only viable path, while women like Blessing seek independence and often encounter even greater obstacles. 

Mary Tinuade, a Nigerian women’s rights activist, noted that poverty and lack of education are key drivers of this issue. 

“Education is the pathway to knowledge, and knowledge is light,” she told More to Her Story. “Without it, rural women face immense disadvantages in accessing decent jobs that provide financial independence.”

Treasure Affia, another women’s rights activist, echoes a similar notion, underscoring how poverty and lack of education, compounded by cultural norms, often force rural women into “precarious situations.” 

“When survival is the priority, and no support systems exist, women have few alternatives,” she told More to Her Story.

Chika*, a Nigerian social worker who requested anonymity, agrees that the rise in prostitution among women is linked to deep-seated poverty, the absence of welfare programs, and a culture that glorifies wealth while shaming “honest work.” 

“There are no welfare programs available for women,” she explained, noting that women are often treated as an “afterthought,” a reflection of deep-rooted misogyny. 

The lack of such programs forces women to face their challenges alone, often resorting to survival tactics that society is quick to condemn, she added.

“We live in a highly judgmental society,” she said. “Poverty is a major culprit behind why girls and women enter sex work.”

Grace*, a healthcare professional who requested anonymity, highlights the intersection of economic challenges and health issues that disproportionately affect rural women. Financial constraints and familial control, she explains, often leave women with limited options. 

“Patriarchal expectations demand that women ‘endure’ rather than seek help, reinforcing the cycle of neglect and hardship,” she said.

Drawing from her experience working in rural communities, Grace observes how deeply ingrained these norms are, with older women often perpetuating them and continuing the generational cycle of suffering. 

“It’s infuriating,” Grace said, “but these women are just as helpless, their lives tied to family and culture, making it hard to change their mindset.”

Rita*, 33, married young to a man who promised stability. When he lost his job, that promise crumbled, and the weight of providing for the family fell on her.

“My mother told me, ‘A good wife supports her husband no matter what,’” she said.

With no safety net and mouths to feed, Rita started selling drinks and pepper soup. When that wasn’t enough, she began sleeping with some of her customers to make ends meet.

“I used the money to grow my business and take care of my family,” she said.

Rita’s experience underscores a broader societal issue in Nigeria, where patriarchal norms and economic hardships often force women to become primary breadwinners, frequently without support or acknowledgment. A 2019 study revealed that women breadwinners in Nigeria face heightened stress and familial burdens, yet many view these sacrifices as an inherent part of their responsibilities.

“They told me education wasn’t for girls like me,” says Zainab*, 25, who once dreamed of becoming a lawyer. “I watched my younger brothers go to school while I was sent to hawk fish. It became clear my only value was to marry.”

“Patriarchal norms demand that we prioritize others’ needs over our own. Without real opportunities, what choice do we have? Sex work was the only viable option when marriage to a ‘rich man’ didn’t materialize.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities.