Single motherhood could be surreal sometimes, falling from a marital challenge or downright abandonment to a social spectrum blurred by uncertainty.
There is no doubts that Nigeria, like many other sub-Saharan countries, is witnessing a rise in single motherhood due to factors such as marital instability, widowhood, or personal choice. This has led to a significant number of single mothers shouldering the responsibility of caring for their families.
The Crazy Stats
A 2014 cross-sectional study revealed that over one million women aged 20 to 85 years were either divorced or separated from their spouses, while 1.7 million were widowed. Another one conducted by Xperia in 2023 saw a 30 percent increase in that number.
As observed, without a partner to share responsibilities and emotional support, single mothers often grapple with feelings of isolation and loneliness, adversely affecting their mental well-being.
Sola Anisulowo, a 37-year-old single mother of one fell into the gap when she fell out of love 9 years ago. Since then she has had to carry the burden of providing for her son while ekeing out a living as an hairdresser. “Its tough but I would rather toil alone that walk with someone in a shabby relationship”. She says.
Nneka Jude had been married for only five years before her man suddenly jumped ship. He left for overseas without prior notice and abandoned her with two daughters. Since then, it has been a constant struggle and most times she cries herself to sleep. She says,“Sometimes, I don’t even know how I survive…”
The Challenges Within
Financial constraints pose another significant challenge for single mothers in Nigeria, leading to the establishment of numerous NGOs dedicated to supporting them. The strain of financial burdens can trigger feelings of inadequacy, potentially leading to depression and further impacting their mental and emotional health.
Online sources define single mothers as mothers without a husband or partner. According to an article titled “Prevalence pattern and socio-demographic correlates of single motherhood in Nigeria,” published in the Sexuality Research and Social Policy journal, Nigeria has one of the highest prevalences of single mothers globally, with prevalence patterns and socio-demographic correlates varying among ethnic clusters.
The study revealed that single mothers accounted for 9.5 percent of the population in Nigeria. Interestingly, contrary to global trends, single mothers in Nigeria tended to be wealthier, more educated, and experienced less intimate partner violence. However, the prevalence of single motherhood varied significantly across regions, ranging from 2.9 percent in the North-West to 20.3 percent in the South-South region.
Various factors were identified as influencing the likelihood of single motherhood, including age, intimate partner violence (IPV), ethnicity (such as being Fulani, Hausa, or Yoruba), and religion (Islam). Urban residence, education, wealth, number of children, and age at first birth were found to increase the likelihood of single motherhood.
The findings underscore the importance of developing policies to promote acceptance of diverse family structures and to combat discrimination against single mothers. Additionally, there is a need to enhance maternal healthcare services in rural areas, where the majority of single mothers reside, to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
According to a study published in the BMC Public Health Journal, Nigeria has over 1.7 million widows and more than a million separated or divorced women between the ages of 10 and 85. This suggests a significant number of single-mother households in sub-Saharan Africa, where many children are born and raised in such environments.
An analysis of the Nigerian population’s marital status by Open Data for Africa, published in the Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, revealed that 50.01 percent were married, 0.86 percent were separated, 1.97 percent were widowed, and 46.44 percent had never been married. However, there is limited information available about never-married single mothers.
A survey conducted by Kainos Edge Data Service in 2020, covering 25,000 households across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, found that the average household size was 3.4 persons. Approximately 11 percent of Nigerian households were headed by single parents, compared to around 16 percent in the United States.
Single motherhood is a global phenomenon, with 101.3 million lone mothers worldwide living with their children. The United States has the highest share of single-parent households, with about 20 percent of children living with just their mother and around five percent with just their father. The United Kingdom has the second-highest rate of single parenting.
In the United States, statistics from the Gitnux Market Data report of 2024 show that about 67.4 percent of single mothers are white, 24.7 percent are black, 21.7 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 7.5 percent are Asian, and 3.9 percent belong to other races.
Ayodeji Badejo, a professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Lagos, highlighted that single motherhood often stems from teenage pregnancy, divorce, abuse, or the unwillingness of a partner to shoulder responsibility.
She emphasized the challenges and psychological issues faced by single mothers, who bear the sole responsibility for their children’s welfare. Badejo noted that while single motherhood can have negative psychological effects, women with strong personalities can positively influence their children.
Being a single mum could be challenging and fulfilling at the same time depending on how one looks at it, however, the psychological cost that often comes with it is what strikes a concern. When a woman finds herself in such situation, what options is she left with?
Single motherhood can present both challenges and rewards, depending on one’s perspective. However, it’s the psychological toll that often raises concern.
When a woman finds herself in this situation, what choices does she have?
