Choosing a partner

By law, people in Nigeria can freely choose their own partners.

People choose a partner based on certain criteria and some may not even be aware that they apply those criteria. Other people are aware of them and only want a partner who meets certain criteria.

• Origin.
• Personality.
• Intelligence.
• Humour.
• Financial situation.
• Appearance.

Both men and women can take the initiative to start a relationship.

Sometimes, parents or other family members choose the person their child will marry. This is called an arranged marriage. The youngsters can often decide if they want to get married or not, but this is not always the case. Forced marriage is forbidden by law.