Summary

The 1990 Marriage Act of Nigeria covers topics such as marriage notice, marriage districts, and marriage certificates.

Contents

Part I: Arrangement of Sections

• 1.Short title. 
• 2. Interpretation. 
• 3. Marriage districts. 
• 4. Appointment of registrars. 
• 5. Offices of registrars. 
• 6. Places of worship to be licensed for celebration of marriages.

Part II: Preliminaries to Marriage

• 7. Notice of marriage. 
• 8. Signature of notice by person unable to write or to understand English language. 
• 9. Registrars to supply forms of notice. 
• 10. Notice to be entered in marriage notice book and published. 
• 11. (1) Registrar to issue certificate on proof of conditions by affidavit. (3) Explanations to be given. 
• 12. Marriage to take place within three months after date of notice. 
• 13. Minister may' grant license to marry. 
• 14. Caveat may be entered against issue of certificate. 
• 15. When caveat entered question to be referred to court. 
• 16. Removal of caveat. 
• 17. Compensation and costs.

Part III: Consent to Marriage in Certain Cases Necessary

• 18. Consent to marriage of minors. 
• 19. Signature or consent by person unable to write or to understand English language. 
• 20. Consent where no parent or guardian capable of consenting.

Part IV: Celebration of Marriage

• 21. Marriage in licensed place of worship. Proviso as to times and witnesses. 
• 22. Minister not to celebrate marriage if impediment nor without license etc. 
• 23. Where minister may celebrate marriage. 
• 24. Registrars to be provided with books of certificates. 
• 25. Entries to be made in marriage certificate. 
• 26. Signature of certificate. Duplicate certificate to be sent to registrar. 
• 27. Marriage in a registrar’s office. Form to be observed. 
• 28. Marriage certificate to be signed. 
• 29. Marriage under license.

Part V: Registry and Evidence of Marriages

• 30. Marriage certificate to be registered. 
• 31. Correction of clerical errors in marriage certificates. 
• 32. Evidence of marriage

Part VI: Invalid Marriages

• 33. Invalid marriages. 
• 34. Marriages under this Act valid. 
• 35. Native marriages. 
• 36. Fees Second Schedule. 
• 37. Fees may be remitted on ground of poverty. 
• 38. Minister may receive customary fees

Part VII: Offenses and Penalties

• 39. Marriage with a person previously married. 
• 40. Making false declarations etc. for marriage. 
• 41. False pretense of impediment to marriage. 
• 42. Unlawfully performing marriage ceremony. 
• 43. Willful neglect of duty to fill up or transmit marriage in marriage. 
• 44. Personation in marriage. 
• 45. Fictitious marriage. 
• 46. Contracting marriage under this Act when already married by native law. 
• 47. Contracting marriage by native law when already married by this Act. 
• 48. Marrying minor without prescribed consent.

Part IX: Foreign Marriages 

• 49. Validity of foreign marriages. 
• 50. Marriage officers. 
• 51. Marriage officers office. 
• 52. Act to apply subject to modifications. 
• 53. Modifications referred to in section 52.

Part VIIII: Forms 

• 54. Forms.

Part VX Repeals

• 55. Repeals

Source: United Nations Statistics Wiki (Document Source)

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