Most marriages conducted at worship centres in the country are illegal - FG

The Federal Government has disclosed that most marriages conducted in religious houses in Nigeria could be deemed illegal as most worship centres conducting marriages in the country lack the license to do so under the statutory Marriage Act.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Georgina E. Ehuriah stated this yesterday in Abuja while speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ conference on the conduct of statutory marriages in accordance with the Marriage Act cap, M6, LFN 2004 as amended.

“At present, only about 4, 689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior, of which only 314 have renewed their licenses to conduct statutory marriages.

”The implication of this is that marriages conducted in unlicensed places of worship are not in line with the Marriage Act and cannot serve legal purposes when the need arises, and such unlicensed places of worship are operating contrary to Section 6(1) of the Marriage Act,” she said.

She said existing couples who do not have their certificate issued by the Ministry of Interior are advised to visit the ministry’s website to re-certify their marriage certificates. 

“If the certificate is not printed and delivered by the principal registrar of marriages, then it is illegal and can not serve the desired purpose”, she said.

The director, citizenship and business at the ministry, Stephen Okon, said it is important to educate the public on the key requirements of the Marriage Act.

“Sometimes citizens are denied their rights because of the manner their certificates of marriage was documented”, he said

He said Nigerians do not conduct statutory marriage even after traditional and church marriage “despite the growing popularity of Registry marriage”.