Most young people begin sexual activities during adolescence. Adolescents have
sexual and reproductive needs that differ from adults in very important ways and which
remain poorly understood or served in most part of the world. They tend to display
sexual behaviors and developmental characteristics that put them at various sorts of
risks for which they may pay dearly much later in life. There has been a series of
research carried out on the sexual and reproductive attitudes of adolescents
investigating the various sexual behaviours commonly practiced by adolescents ranging
from starting sexual intercourse at early ages to indulging in sexual activity without use
of condoms/contraceptives and having multiple sexual partners. The risk outcomes of
sexual behaviours developed by adolescents include unwanted pregnancy, sexually
transmitted diseases and unsafe abortions. Factors responsible for risk behaviours has
been of keen interest to many researchers as these vary by geographic locations,
cultural factors and religion among others. However, there is a dearth of data on the
sexual behaviour of adolescents in developing countries. This thesis investigated the
sexual behaviour of adolescents between the ages of 13 to 18 years in northern Nigeria
by means of questionnaires. Demographic data was collected as well as data on sexual
behaviour, factors suspected to be risky or protective, and risk outcomes of the
behaviours including pregnancy and abortion. The results pointed out that 33% of the
respondents had been sexually active; the mean age of starting sexual activity was 13
years.49.06 percent of the sexually active adolescents do not usually use condoms and
contraceptives during sexual intercourse, and 34.88 percent of girls had already been
pregnant though none of them admitted to have had an abortion. Only 33 percent of the
respondents ever talked about sexual issues with mother, and merely 16 percent had
ever talked about it with the father. This research provides evidence that many
adolescents engage in sexually risky behaviours because they are not properly
informed on sexual issues. Sexual education in a culturally acceptable form should be
made available to all adolescents in Nigeria so as to prevent risk behaviour and
unfavourable reproductive outcomes that have long-standing consequences for adult
life which are entirely preventable.