About

Nigeria is facing a significant demographic shift with a rapidly growing population, particularly among women of reproductive age. Unfortunately, this has led to a concerning increase in maternal mortality rates, resulting in an estimated 40,000 Nigerian women dying from pregnancy-related causes annually.

To address this issue, the Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint (2019-2023) aims to raise the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) among women of reproductive age to 27% by 2023, starting from a baseline of 17.6% in 2018, with a targeted annual growth rate of 3%.

However, inadequate funding for family planning and reproductive health at all levels of government is hindering progress. The government recognizes the importance of reproductive health but struggles with funding shortages, particularly due to economic challenges.

The public sector in Nigeria heavily relies on external funding for procuring family planning commodities, which has covered up to 88% of expenses over the past decade. Economic recessions and other challenges have led to funding shortfalls and contraceptive shortages.

To improve healthcare access, the government is increasingly focusing on public-private partnerships (PPPs), recognizing the private sector’s crucial role in healthcare development. Recent initiatives include the development of strategic plans and policies to engage the private sector in family planning and reproductive health services, with support from organizations like the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

These efforts aim to create a brighter and healthier future for women and families in Nigeria by addressing the critical issues related to maternal health and family planning.