For a society where parenthood is often seen as a personal milestone and a cultural expectation, the inability to have children can carry a heavy emotional and social burden. For many Nigerian couples battling with infertility, surrogacy is becoming a pathway to hope, but one still surrounded by controversy, cultural hesitation, and legal uncertainty.

Surrogacy, a form of assisted reproduction where a woman carries a pregnancy for another person or couple, is gradually gaining attention in Nigeria. While it offers the promise of parenthood to those who might never experience it, if not for the assistance, the practice remains largely misunderstood and remains unregulated in many cases.

For many couples, the journey to surrogacy was not a first choice but a last resort which might be due to societal or cultural pressures because in most cultures, carrying one’s biological child is deeply valued. So, after years of failed treatments and emotional stress, couples begin to explore alternatives to becoming parents.

This scenario is not unique, it is the reality of many people. Medical experts note that infertility, which is caused by factors ranging from hormonal disorders to complications from infections, affects a significant number of Nigerian couples. While options like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) are becoming more common, surrogacy provides an additional solution, particularly for women who are unable to carry pregnancies.

Despite its growing relevance, surrogacy operates in many parts of Nigeria without open prohibition and clear sanctions by existing laws, leaving them open to different interpretations by people. There is no comprehensive national law that clearly defines or regulates the practice, and due to this lack of clarity, important questions have been raised about the rights of all parties involved, the intended parents, the surrogate mother, and the child.

Legal practitioners warn that without proper regulation, disputes can arise mainly in terms of “Who is recognised as the legal mother at birth? What protections are in place for the surrogate? How are agreements enforced?” These are questions that many families face without clear answers, making them rely on private contracts that may not be justiciable.

Outside legal concerns, surrogacy also faces cultural and religious scrutiny. In many communities, the idea of another woman carrying a child for another couple challenges traditional beliefs about motherhood and the family structure. Some look at surrogacy with suspicion, while others see it as an indecent move or morally questionable.

When it comes to religious perspectives, it differs, as some faith leaders acknowledge surrogacy as a compassionate solution to infertility, while others raise moral concerns about the involvement of third parties in procreation. This disagreement shows the huge pressure that comes with traditional principles and evolving medical possibilities.

For surrogate mothers, the experience can be complex. Some go into surrogacy arrangements out of empathy and a desire to help others experience the joy of parenthood. Others on the other hand are motivated by financial need, raising concerns about possible exploitation, especially in the absence of strict surveillance.

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At a glimpse, surrogacy seems like both an economic empowerment tool, as a poor surrogate mother gets much-needed money, and a medical solution, as an infertile couple gets their long-desired biologically related baby; but, the real picture reveals the bitter truth. Due to lack of proper legislation, both surrogate mothers and intended parents are somehow exploited and the profit is earned by middlemen and commercial agencies.

Supporters of surrogacy argue that with proper regulation, surrogacy can be conducted ethically and safely. This means if there are laws that protect all parties, ensure informed consent, and create clear parental rights, the results are generally positive.

As much as positive results are often guaranteed when the arrangement between the two parties is legally secure and ethically complete, there is need for proper counselling and medical screening for intended parents and surrogates.

If the surrogate is a married woman, the consent of her spouse would be required before she may act as surrogate to prevent any legal or marital dispute.

A surrogate should be screened for Sexually Transmitted diseases (STDs), communicable diseases and should not have received blood transfusion in the past 6 month as these may have negative influence on the pregnancy outcome. All the expenses including insurance of surrogate medical bill and other reasonable expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth should be taken care of by intended parents.

However, beyond the debates and procedural gaps, the human stories remain at the center of the surrogacy conversation, because for many couples, it is not about the controversy it may breed, but the deeply personal desire to build a family.

As conversations around reproductive health continue to grow in Nigeria, surrogacy is very likely to remain a topic of both hope and medical legislation.

The future of surrogacy will not only depend on legal improvements but also on a comprehensive societal willingness to engage with complex questions about family, ethics, and the meaning of parenthood; but for now, it stands as a proof of the possibilities of modern medicine and the continuing human longing for a child to call one’s own.