Why Nigerian Laws Don’t Award 50% of Husband’s Property to Wife After Divorce

Contrary to popular belief, Nigerian laws do not grant women 50% of their husband’s property in a divorce. Legal expert Madubuachi Idam clarifies that women must prove their contribution to acquiring the property to be entitled to any share during a divorce.

Activist lawyer Madubuachi Idam has clarified that Nigerian laws do not grant women an automatic right to 50% of their husband’s properties during a divorce. Addressing widespread misconceptions, Idam emphasized that such a provision is alien to Nigerian laws and is often misunderstood due to comparisons with legal practices in other countries.

In a recent interview, Idam warned women who enter into statutory (court) marriages with the intention of securing a significant portion of their husband’s wealth upon divorce. He highlighted that under Nigerian law, the spouse must provide concrete evidence of their contribution to the acquisition of the property in question.

“The law that awards 50% or any percentage of a man’s property to his wife during divorce is strange to the Nigerian soil,” Idam stated. He further explained that statutory marriage law in Nigeria does not entitle a woman to “reap where she did not sow,” and emphasized that divorce would become a highly profitable venture if such a law existed.

The lawyer also clarified the rights of surviving spouses in the event of death, stating that a spouse is entitled to the deceased partner’s property acquired during their statutory marriage. However, this entitlement does not extend to situations of divorce unless substantial proof of contribution to the property is provided.

Idam urged women to rethink their motivations for pursuing court marriages solely for financial gain, as the law in Nigeria is significantly different from that of countries like the UK.