Unregulated and Unprotected: The Human Rights Implications of Egg Donation in Nigeria

Abstract This article examines the unregulated practice of egg donation in Nigeria through the lens of international human rights law. Drawing on real-life testimonies, particularly the case of a 20-year-old student whose experience with a fertility clinic resulted in medical trauma and emotional distress, I expose systemic abuses rooted in legal silence. While international and regional human rights instruments impose obligations on states to protect bodily autonomy, prevent exploitation and ensure informed consent, Nigeria lacks a legal framework that addresses the complexities of assisted reproductive technologies. Legislative attempts to regulate egg donation have repeatedly stalled, leaving young, economically vulnerable women exposed to coercion, health risks and uncompensated labour. The article argues that the Nigerian state’s failure to regulate fertility clinics and to protect egg donors constitutes a violation of both domestic constitutional rights and international legal obligations; it calls for urgent legislative reform grounded in reproductive justice and accountability.