₦700,000 MATCHMAKING SERVICE SPARKS DEBATE OVER COMMERCIALISING LOVE

A Christian matchmaking platform launched by relationship coach and pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has triggered a heated debate among Nigerians over the growing commercialisation of relationships and the search for marriage.

The platform, known as Mentor To Marry, offers annual membership packages ranging from ₦70,000 to ₦700,000, with the highest package providing subscribers with additional personalised services.

The premium package reportedly includes access to a dedicated matchmaker and relationship coach, priority access to the platform’s founders, as well as introductions to potential partners outside the platform.

Okonkwo, who is the lead pastor of David’s Christian Centre, introduced the platform as a guided marriage-preparation and matchmaking community designed for serious Christian singles seeking intentional and faith-based relationships.

However, the launch has generated criticism, particularly because of Okonkwo’s previous comments against what he described as the increasing commercialisation of relationships.

Critics questioned why people searching for love and marriage should have to pay as much as ₦700,000 annually for matchmaking services, with some arguing that the pricing appears to turn an intimate and personal process into a business transaction.

The controversy has also generated broader conversations about the role of money in modern relationships, particularly among young Nigerians who are increasingly turning to online platforms and professional services to find potential partners.

Supporters of the initiative, however, have defended the platform, arguing that the service goes beyond simply connecting people. They noted that the packages also include relationship guidance, counselling, coaching and marriage preparation, which they consider valuable professional services.

The platform's operators have presented it as a structured community for singles who are serious about marriage rather than a conventional dating application. The approach is intended to provide participants with guidance while helping them identify compatible partners.

The debate has nevertheless raised questions about whether matchmaking services should be treated as a commercial product and how much people should reasonably be expected to pay for assistance in finding a life partner.

For some Nigerians, the controversy reflects a wider shift in how relationships are being approached, with dating, counselling, matchmaking and marriage preparation increasingly becoming organised services.

For others, paying for professional guidance is not fundamentally different from paying for counselling or other specialised services, particularly when the process involves screening, coaching and personalised support.

The launch of Mentor To Marry has therefore opened a wider conversation about love, marriage, faith and money, with Nigerians divided over whether the platform represents a useful innovation or another example of relationships becoming increasingly commercialised.