Veteran Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has expressed deep concerns over surrogacy in Nigeria, warning that the practice may be used to exploit financially vulnerable women without adequate legal safeguards.
Speaking during an interview on News Central, Henshaw highlighted the urgent need for stronger laws and regulations to protect the rights, health, and emotional well-being of surrogate mothers. She cautioned that while surrogacy can offer hope to families unable to conceive naturally, it must not come at the cost of exploiting women in desperate financial situations.
“Surrogacy is a means to exploit people who are not financially capable—you just pay them as they have a child for you,” she said. “But what will make you look after them? Are you bound by any law or legal framework to ensure they’re taken care of before and after they deliver the baby?”
She also questioned the legal documentation and ethical oversight surrounding such arrangements, adding that surrogacy involves not only physical changes but significant mental and emotional risks for the surrogate.
“It shouldn’t be done lightly. There’s a lot of emotion attached to carrying a child. Apart from bodily changes, there are mental challenges—women can even die. So it must be taken seriously,” Henshaw emphasized.
She concluded by urging Nigerian lawmakers to move beyond vague policy suggestions and enact enforceable legislation that protects all parties involved in surrogacy.
“I hope Nigeria rises to meet this challenge. I hope we have laws that will work and not just be suggestions,” she added.