Surrogacy Bill Targets Shady Clinics, Slams N2m Fine, 2-Year Jail

Surrogacy Bill Targets Shady Clinics, Slams N2m Fine, 2-Year Jail

Surrogacy Bill sparks hope for thousands of Nigerian women trapped in the shadows of a growing, unregulated industry. The House of Representatives has taken a bold step to protect them by introducing a law that bans commercial surrogacy and establishes clear rules for safe and ethical alternatives.

Uchenna Okonkwo, a lawmaker representing Idemili North and South in Anambra State, is the face behind this push. His proposed law, titled A Bill for an Act to Protect the Health and Well-being of Women, Particularly in Relation to Surrogacy, is drawing attention for tackling an issue many have swept under the rug.

For years, women across Nigeria have quietly rented out their wombs in deals brokered in secrecy. Many are promised huge sums but left to deal with health risks, stigma, or worse—total abandonment. Okonkwo’s bill wants to end this exploitation.

The Surrogacy Bill sets out to ban the commercialisation of surrogacy. It instead encourages an altruistic model—where women carry pregnancies for others without payment, aside from covering medical and related expenses. The new law demands consent, counselling, and medical care for everyone involved.

The law doesn’t stop at just setting rules—it packs penalties. Anyone caught breaking the rules, coercing a woman into surrogacy, or running commercial surrogacy operations risks up to two years in prison, a fine of N2 million, or both. These penalties aim to send a strong message to illegal fertility clinics and brokers.

According to Okonkwo, “The bill aims to protect the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of women, particularly those involved in surrogacy.” He added that the law will shield women from being used as tools for profit, ensuring their rights and safety are upheld.

The Surrogacy Bill covers everyone involved—from egg donors to surrogate and intended mothers, and even medical professionals like doctors and nurses. It also holds agencies accountable, whether they’ve been operating legally or in the shadows.

Under the bill, no woman can be forced into surrogacy. The law insists on informed consent and access to counselling. A woman must be at least 21 years old before becoming a surrogate and must understand all medical and emotional consequences of the arrangement. The same goes for the couple or individual receiving the child—they too must undergo counselling.

Okonkwo stressed that this isn’t just about banning commercial surrogacy. It’s about ensuring dignity. “Every woman has the right to informed consent and quality healthcare. No woman should feel pressured to rent her womb out of desperation,” he said.

The bill also ensures compensation—but only for direct, reasonable medical and pregnancy-related costs. There’s no room for financial contracts that turn women into baby factories or children into products.

For many Nigerian families struggling with infertility, surrogacy has been a lifeline. But with no legal guidelines, desperate couples and vulnerable women have often fallen into the hands of unscrupulous clinics. Some surrogates have reported being abandoned after delivery. Others never receive the money promised.

The Surrogacy Bill aims to prevent these abuses. It introduces strict oversight on surrogacy agencies and medical institutions. These groups must now operate transparently and ethically—or face the full weight of the law.

This is the first time Nigeria is moving toward regulating surrogacy. While the practice has grown quietly over the years, lawmakers have mostly avoided it. Now, with rising reports of exploitation and children born into legal uncertainty, Parliament is saying enough is enough.

Critics may argue that banning commercial surrogacy will drive the practice underground. But supporters say the bill doesn’t end surrogacy—it simply makes it safer. By encouraging non-commercial arrangements, it opens the door for compassionate support, not profit-driven abuse.

Health professionals and women’s rights groups have welcomed the bill. Many say it’s long overdue. Nigeria joins a global conversation around ethical fertility services, putting women’s safety and dignity at the centre.

As debate resumes in the House next week, all eyes will be on how lawmakers handle this turning point. Will they close the door on exploitation or keep looking the other way?

For now, the Surrogacy Bill stands as a powerful message: women’s bodies are not for sale, and children are not commodities.