* A traditional wedding
For generations, marriage in Nigeria has been a milestone shaped by affection, culture, faith and family expectation.
Today, however, a more stubborn force is dictating the timing of weddings: the economy.
Across the country, from the teeming streets of Lagos to the quieter neighbourhoods of Ibadan and the fast-expanding districts of Abuja, many young Nigerians say they are emotionally prepared for marriage but financially paralysed.
The soaring cost of rent, transportation, food and utilities — coupled with wages that have failed to keep pace with inflation — has turned what was once a romantic decision into a careful economic calculation.
For a growing number of couples, love is intact. What is missing is affordability.
At 30, Ridwan Kareem, an operations assistant with a distribution firm in Ikeja, had imagined he would have settled down by now.
He has been with his partner for three years, and both families are aware of their plans. Yet the wedding has been quietly postponed twice.
Speaking to FTN, he said the numbers simply do not add up.
He explained: “My rent moved from ₦700,000 to ₦1.2 million within two years. My salary certainly didn’t rise at the same rate.
“In fact, the increase was barely noticeable. Before you even talk about paying bride price or planning a ceremony, you are thinking about how to survive.”
It was reliably gathered that Ridwan earns ₦180,000 monthly. A substantial portion of it goes into transport and food, while he attempts — often unsuccessfully — to save towards securing a larger apartment.
He added: “On transport alone, I spend nearly ₦3,500 a day. By the time you factor in electricity bills, data subscriptions and helping out at home, there is nothing meaningful left. Marriage comes with responsibility. I don’t want to enter it already under pressure.”
Housing costs, in particular, have become a formidable barrier to family formation. In several major cities, annual rents for modest one-bedroom apartments now approach or exceed a young worker’s entire yearly income.
For 28-year-old Nkiru Eze, a make-up artist based in Egbeda, Lagos, the search for accommodation forced her and her fiancé to rethink their timeline.
She recounted: “We found a small self-contained space for ₦950,000.
“There was no steady water supply, and the building needed repairs. We just looked at each other and said, ‘Is this how we want to begin?’”
Nkiru’s income fluctuates sharply depending on demand, particularly during festive seasons.
“Some months are profitable; others are dry. Marriage requires stability. At the moment, everything feels fragile,” she said.
Beyond housing, transportation costs have quietly eroded disposable incomes. Since the removal of fuel subsidy, commuting expenses have surged, leaving many young workers with little room for savings.
Also in Abeokuta, 32-year-old secondary school teacher Olumide Fashola earns ₦85,000 monthly.
He estimates that nearly ₦30,000 goes into transportation alone.
According to him, “When you calculate feeding, supporting your parents and handling unexpected expenses, there’s barely anything left. We got engaged last year, but we’ve stopped mentioning dates. It’s not that we don’t want to marry. We just don’t want to start life together struggling from day one.”
Olumide admitted that the emotional strain of postponement can be difficult.
He added: “You don’t want your partner to feel you’re delaying on purpose. But marriage is not just about one day in white attire. It’s about what happens the morning after.”
For many young women, the concern extends beyond wedding ceremonies to long-term financial security.
In the same vein, Aisha Bello, 27, currently serving in Abuja under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), says she feels the weight of societal expectation. Yet she remains cautious.
She added: “My monthly allowance disappears almost immediately.
“Transport alone consumes a large share. If I cannot comfortably take care of myself, how do I enter marriage expecting miracles?”
Aisha said financial independence should precede matrimony.
“I want to contribute meaningfully in my home, not depend entirely on someone who is also struggling,” she added.
Stagnant wages remain a recurring grievance. Many young professionals argue that salaries which once provided modest comfort have been hollowed out by inflation.
Emeka Okonkwo, 35, a communications officer in Lagos, earns ₦220,000 monthly — an amount he once regarded as respectable.
“Five or six years ago, this income meant you could plan
“Now, prices have outpaced everything. You are constantly adjusting, cutting back, improvising,”he said.
Between rent, extended family obligations and rising grocery bills, Emeka says saving for marriage feels increasingly unrealistic.
“I still believe in marriage, But I refuse to begin that chapter with debt hanging over my head,” he reiterated.
Social researchers observe that the trend is not merely anecdotal.
Dr. Morenike Salami, a sociologist based in Lagos said that delayed marriage is becoming a rational adaptation to economic instability.
She explained: “When the cost of living rises sharply without corresponding income growth, young adults prioritise survival,. Marriage, which traditionally symbolises stability
FTN
—————————————-
Share your story or advertise with us:
08033783144 (WhatsApp)
08023469999(WhatsApp)
idowuadelusi@gmail.com,thepathfindernews0@gmail.com
Follow our reports also on X @idowuadelusi and Facebook (Idowu Oluwole Adelusi)