Empowering Daughters Before Marriage in Conflict-Affected Northern Nigeria: Education, Economic Skills, and Household Well-Being

Abstract

In Northern Nigeria, marriage remains a central social institution, yet profound economic and security challenges increasingly require dual-income households for survival. Many girls enter marriage without adequate education or income-generating skills, particularly in conflict-affected settings such as Plateau State, where farmer–herder and ethno-religious violence have disrupted livelihoods for decades. This paper examines the need for parents to empower daughters with education and market-relevant skills before marriage as a strategy for strengthening household resilience, enhancing women’s bargaining power, and improving child well-being. Using a qualitative desk-based methodology and drawing on evidence from Plateau State, the paper demonstrates that women who enter marriage with prior education or vocational skills are better positioned to mitigate conflict-induced economic shocks and safeguard family welfare. Anchored in Human Capital Theory, the Women’s Empowerment Framework, and Conflict and Gender Theory, the study argues that empowering daughters before marriage is both a gender equity imperative and a critical component of post-conflict recovery and sustainable development in Northern Nigeria.