The Nexus between Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage in Nigeria: A Cultural Inhibition to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The world leaders agreed to make the world a better place by year 2030 through the Sustainable Development Goals and targets. This however cannot be achieved in Nigeria except we are proactive about some cultural practices that negatively affect the girl child.  Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) are two deep-rooted Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs) that have prevailed in Nigeria for a long time. This paper discusses the recurring and prevalence patterns of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in South West and South-East Nigeria and Child Marriage in Northern Nigeria as major obstacles to the achievement of some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sustainable Development Goal 1: Ending all forms poverty; Goal 3: General health and wellbeing; Goal 4: Accessing quality education and; Goal 5: Gender equality and women empowerment are directly affected by these cultural practices. Except measures are taken to checkmate HTPs of this sort, women and girls optimum advancement and progress will continue to be hampered.