BMC Public Health 2008, 8:136 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/8/136 in the prevention of HIV, other sexually transmitted infec- tions and teenage unwanted pregnancy. Among other strategies, health education and behaviour change com- munication programmes targeting young people in Nigeria need to consider how the issues of myths, wrong information, and poor attitude to such simple but critical interventions such as condom use impact behaviour. Additionally, the role of religiosity (though only found for females) raises the question of the potential influence of the faith community in promoting adolescent sexual health. Conclusion A fifth of Nigerian adolescents initiate sexual intercourse prior to marriage. While this rate do not reach the levels found in Europe or North America, the special risks of HIV infection and unwanted pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa make this an especially vulnerable population. There is, therefore, the need to ensure effective pro- grammes that will reach those who are most vulnerable. To be effective such programmes must be built upon the understanding of those factors associated with an increased likelihood for early sexual debut. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors' contributions AOF participated in the acquisition of the data and con- ceptualisation of the study, performed statistical analysis, and drafted the manuscript; RWB participated in the con- ceptualisation of the study, reviewed data analysis results and critically revised the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgements This study was carried out during AOF's participation in the Visiting Schol- ars Programme of the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Maryland, USA. 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