Poverty and survival drive transactional sex among young mothers in Africa
Research across three African countries shows that pregnancy and parenting intensify economic desperation among adolescent girls, pushing many into transactional sex to meet basic needs.
A study of pregnant and parenting adolescents across Burkina Faso, Kenya and Malawi has found widespread engagement in transactional sex—the exchange of sexual intimacy for money, food or other material support—driven primarily by poverty and the need to survive.
The research, conducted by sexual and reproductive health researchers and published in The Conversation, surveyed 2,243 girls aged 12 to 19 across three cities: Ouagadougou, Nairobi's Korogocho informal settlement, and Blantyre. All participants were either pregnant or already parenting.
Prevalence varies sharply by setting
The prevalence of transactional sex differed markedly across the three countries. In Kenya, 44.3% of girls surveyed reported having engaged in transactional sex at some point. The figure dropped to 25.4% in Burkina Faso and 13.0% in Malawi. The researchers attributed Kenya's notably higher rate to the study setting in Nairobi's densely populated informal settlement, where girls face acute poverty, unstable family structures, unsafe living conditions, and limited economic opportunities.
"Living in urban informal settlement environments was a risk," the researchers found, noting that prevalence was lower in other settings outside such settlements.
Money is the primary driver
Money emerged as the dominant reason girls gave for engaging in transactional sex. It was cited by 31.3% of participants in Kenya, 20.5% in Burkina Faso, and 7.8% in Malawi. Beyond cash, girls also reported exchanging sex for food and other basic necessities—a reality that underscores the intersection of sexual behaviour and food insecurity.
Broader context: pregnancy and vulnerability
The research builds on earlier qualitative work with pregnant girls in Nairobi's informal settlements, which found that pregnancy intensified economic insecurity. The researchers noted a critical gap in current policy and programme responses: most government and non-governmental efforts focus on preventing adolescent pregnancy, leaving pregnant and parenting girls with limited support.
"We are sexual and reproductive health researchers focused on the intersection of evidence, policy, and lived realities of adolescents in Africa," the authors noted. Their study was designed to shift attention from pregnancy prevention alone to the urgent needs of girls already pregnant or parenting.
Health and safety risks
According to The Conversation, transactional sex among young people in Africa is associated with serious negative health outcomes, including unintended pregnancy, sexual violence, and HIV infection. Data cited in the research suggests the behaviour is widespread across the continent: approximately 10% of those aged 15-24 in South Africa, 23% in Nigeria, and 25% in Uganda have engaged in transactional sex.
Transactional sex differs from commercial sex work in that it occurs outside formal sex work arrangements, but with an explicit expectation that material, financial, or other benefits will be exchanged for intimacy or companionship.
Need for targeted support
The researchers called for stronger support systems for adolescents engaged in transactional sex across all three countries, particularly those who are pregnant or parenting. The findings suggest that without economic security, food access, and stable living conditions, adolescent mothers will continue to turn to transactional sex as a survival strategy.