A bill aimed at establishing the Nigeria Surrogacy Regulatory Commission has successfully progressed to its second reading in the House of Representatives, marking a significant step towards the oversight of surrogacy practices in the country.
Sponsored by Rep. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala (APC-Oyo), the legislation seeks to create a comprehensive framework to oversee surrogacy arrangements, ensuring they are properly registered and regulated. This discussion took place during a plenary session on Thursday, where lawmakers expressed a range of opinions on the matter.
Surrogacy, a complex and often sensitive arrangement, involves a woman carrying and ultimately delivering a child or children for a couple grappling with infertility, or for an individual who desires to experience parenthood without enduring the physical challenges of pregnancy. These agreements are crafted under mutually agreed-upon terms, reflecting deeply personal and emotional considerations.
In a post-plenary interview, Alao-Akala articulated his vision for the bill, emphasizing that if enacted, it would not only safeguard the rights of all parties involved—including the newborn—but also ensure ethical standards are maintained throughout the surrogacy process.
He further expressed his commitment to eliminating all forms of discrimination and exploitation within this delicate realm, while simultaneously supporting and empowering couples who face significant obstacles in their journey to starting a family..
“This kind of law is not a law of force, it is a law of choice, because this is about about you wanting to have children and choosing to say would I go this route to have my children.
“It’s not a law that you will be binding, that’s says everybody must have children through surrogacy, it is not a binding law.
“It is just a law that that allows anyone to involved in such thing in this country, in any part of the country, there are laws guiding it.
“I know it is not going to be accepted fully everywhere at once because of culture and religion,
“Like I said, it is not a forceful law, but a law put in place so that, when anybody wants to get involved in it, there are laws guiding it,” he said.
