This article examines the impact of bride price on the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRH) of women in South Africa and Nigeria. By outlining the legal framework of both countries, the author argues that flawed interpretations of bride price directly inhibit SRH rights, which are entrenched in both international instruments (e.g., CEDAW) and domestic laws. By reducing women to the status of legal chattel, bride price may infringe on the right to bodily integrity and self-determination, encouraging early/forced marriage. However, the notion that payment connotes buying the bride is argued to be a misconception of the legal purpose of bride price in African cultures. Rather, bride price indicates a mere token of gratitude and confirmation of consent. Shifting societal norms to reflect this contemporary discourse requires educational initiatives that express bride price as a cultural observation without any ulterior motive to subordinate or commodify women.