Sources of sexual information and its relevance to sexual behaviour in Nigeria

A study was carried out to identify the various sources of sexual information by adolescents in Nigeria and their influence on the sexual behaviours of the subjects, using: a) coitus prior to marriage b) expectation with first coitus c) freeness to discuss with spouse or anybody as parameters. The study was carried between 1997 and 1998 using subjects randomly selected from three Nigerian communities, viz: Enugu, Benin and Nnewi. Coitus before marriage was significantly higher in those who got their first ever information from peers than those who got it from other sources (P < 0.01). Fulfillment of expectation with first coitus was also significantly higher among those who were taught by parents, peers and teachers than those who sought their information on their own from books, magazines and films (p < 0.05). However, in considering their ability to discuss with anybody, this was found to be significantly higher in those who sought information on their own than those who got their first information by personal contact with parents, peers and teachers (p < 0.05). The latter was found to be more inhibited from discussing sexuality with their spouse or anybody than those who got their information from books/magazines and films. Sex education of adolescents should, therefore, be provided in a cultural, community-based setting of which the guardian programme should be only one component. It may be counter-productive in Nigeria if the adolescents continue to learn about sexuality on their own from books, magazines and films.