The Hidden Costs of Human Egg Donation: Young Nigerian Girls Exploited in Unregulated Market

Infertility affects 17.5% of the global population, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Despite Nigeria’s high fertility rates, infertility remains a significant concern, leading to various methods, including egg donation, to address the issue.

The unregulated egg donation industry in Nigeria has raised ethical and legal concerns. Unlike developed countries with strict regulations, young Nigerian girls often sell their eggs for as little as N20,000 to N50,000. Media reports and personal accounts reveal that girls as young as 16 are participating in this practice, sometimes under coercion.

A recent motion in Nigeria’s House of Representatives calls for a probe into fertility clinics, citing exploitation of young women due to poor regulations. Fertility experts, however, argue that egg donation is a generous act rather than a commercial transaction.

Dr. Faye Iketubosin, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, emphasized that egg donation should involve proper consent and reimbursement for expenses, not payment for eggs. Professor Preye Fiebai, President of the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH), reiterated that egg donation is voluntary and regulated to ensure donor safety.

While stories of coercion and illegal transactions persist, experts like Professor Oladapo Ashiru stress the need for donors to be over 21 and limit donations to three times in a lifetime to avoid health risks. Legal frameworks, such as the National Health Act, criminalize the sale of human tissue, yet enforcement remains weak.

Calls for robust regulations are growing. Stakeholders urge the Nigerian government to establish clear guidelines to protect donors and recipients, ensuring ethical practices in the fertility industry. Establishing national laws and enforcing existing ones will safeguard young women from exploitation while providing infertile couples with a chance to conceive safely and ethically.