SOCIAL LIFE AND THE RISE IN ABORTION RATES AMONG STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

The escalating rate of abortion among tertiary institution students in Nigeria represents a critical public health, socio-economic, and academic crisis. This study examines the influence of students' social life on the rising abortion rates within Nigerian higher education institutions. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, Merton’s Strain Theory, and Feminist Theory , the study specifically analyzes the impacts of peer pressure, digital media exposure, and pervasive financial instability on reproductive health decisions. Review of current empirical data reveals a striking paradox: while approximately 1.25 million clandestine abortions occur annually in Nigeria , the country's stringent legal frameworks restrict abortion to cases where the mother's life is at risk. Consequently, students increasingly resort to unqualified providers or self-administered methods, leading to severe health complications—such as hemorrhage, sepsis, and secondary infertility—as well as severe psychological distress including post-abortion anxiety and depression. Socio-economic hardships further drive female students into transactional relationships, exacerbating their vulnerability to unintended pregnancies. Based on these findings, the study highlights critical gaps in comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education, where only 34% of adolescents receive accurate training. The study concludes that mitigating this trend requires a multi-faceted approach, including the integration of confidential, youth-friendly SRH counseling clinics within tertiary curricula, policy dialogues toward decriminalization in sensitive cases, and scalable peer-led awareness programs to reduce cultural stigma and safeguard students' futures. Keywords: Abortion Rates, Student Social Life, Socio-Economic Factors, Reproductive Health, Tertiary Institutions, Nigeria.