Punch | August 8, 2026
Nigeria does not have national regulations for surrogacy – a growing practice in the country – which means that intended parents and surrogates depend on private contracts to define protections, financial terms, and other details of surrogacy arrangements. Disputes about pregnancy complications and uncertainties about legal parentage can still arise in a system organized around private contracts, which poses challenges for courts. Legislation would help avoid risks including economic exploitation of surrogates, medical risks from unregulated providers, violations of children’s rights, and custody disputes.