Recent research from the UK highlights a direct link between poverty and transactional sex among women. Data submitted to the UK Parliament indicates that approximately 74% of female sex workers cite financial hardship as their primary motivation. Reports show that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has contributed to a rise in “survival sex” between 2024 and 2025.
In Nigeria, the National Labour Congress (NLC) reported in late 2025 that the country is experiencing its most severe economic hardship in history, a situation that correlates with growth in informal economic activities, including transactional sex. Experts note that poverty has reshaped social and moral norms, influencing how young men and women navigate relationships and economic survival.
Analysts point out that economic pressures, including inflation and subsidy removals, have forced some women to use personal resources or social connections to support themselves and their families. Studies indicate that financial hardship often compels families to reconsider traditional norms and, in some cases, indirectly tolerate transactional sex as a means of survival.
Experts warn that while such arrangements may seem mutually beneficial in the short term, they have long-term social consequences. Transactional sex can lead to the commodification of relationships, reduce incentives for formal marriage, and increase the risk of disrupted family structures. Children raised in households where economic survival is closely tied to sexual activity may face challenges in developing healthy family and relationship values.
Observers also note that economic disparities influence behavior abroad. Nigerians returning from countries with lower poverty levels may engage differently in transactional sex once back home, where financial pressures are more acute.
Research shows that poverty remains a central driver of social challenges in Nigeria, affecting the moral, cultural, and economic landscape. Experts argue that addressing economic hardship through targeted policies, social safety nets, and education initiatives is essential to reducing the prevalence of survival-driven transactional sex.
Osahon Osayimwen writes from England.
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