The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has identified poor access to education as the main reason child marriage continues in parts of northern Nigeria. According to him, the problem is not culture alone but the failure of government to provide secondary schools and skill centres for young girls after primary education.

Sanusi made this known during an appearance on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, where he spoke about education, culture, and social reform. He said many discussions on child marriage focus on blaming traditions while ignoring the real conditions families face in rural communities.

The monarch explained that many girls finish primary school at a very young age and are left with no opportunity to continue learning or gain useful skills. In such situations, he said, poor families often marry off their daughters out of fear for their future, not because they prefer early marriage.

Sanusi also criticised urban views that fail to understand life in rural areas. He noted that many villages lack nearby secondary schools, safe roads, or functional local government services. Without these basic structures, families are left with limited choices for their children’s lives.