UN agency links Nigeria’s high fertility rate to weak reproductive rights

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has attributed Nigeria’s high fertility rate to limited reproductive rights and access, rather than cultural preferences alone.

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UNFPA’s Officer-in-Charge in Nigeria, Koessan Kuawu, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the presentation of highlights from the 2025 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report.

The report was launched in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC).

The report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Health Agency”, examines global trends relating to bodily autonomy and reproductive decision-making.

Mr Kuawu noted that while fertility rates are declining globally, Nigeria remains an outlier due to restricted access to reproductive health services and the persistent unmet need for family planning.

“The Nigerian fertility crisis is not normal; it is a failure to respect, protect and fulfil individual reproductive rights,” he stated.

According to the report, Nigeria’s fertility rate currently stands at 4.3 births per woman, in contrast to 0.75 in South Korea and 1.21 in Italy.

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The global average has declined from approximately five births per woman in the 1960s to 2.2 in 2024 and is projected to fall further by 2100.

The report also presented findings from a joint UNFPA-Google survey conducted across 14 countries, including Nigeria, assessing whether individuals were able to achieve their desired family size.

It revealed that 30 per cent of Nigerian men and 21 per cent of women expressed a preference for having four or more children, significantly higher than the global averages of 11 per cent and nine per cent, respectively.

However, many respondents cited health, economic and social barriers that prevented them from realising these preferences.

Among Nigerian women under the age of 50, 12 per cent reported having fewer children than desired, while nearly half said they had no children despite wanting them.

Additionally, 11 per cent of women had more children than they had planned, and 90 per cent of women aged 50 and above reported having fewer children than they would have liked.

The report attributed this gap between desired and actual family size to factors such as infertility, inadequate access to healthcare, long-term illness and poverty.

It also highlighted concerns around sexual autonomy, noting that 45 per cent of Nigerian women and 20 per cent of men reported being unable to refuse sex with a partner.

Furthermore, 25 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men were unable to use their preferred contraceptive methods, while 24 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men faced challenges accessing reproductive health services.

Other challenges

The report identified deficiencies in data collection, funding, strategy implementation and monitoring as major impediments to Nigeria’s policy response.

It called for inclusive health systems, gender equality, and support for a wide range of reproductive choices, including the right to remain child-free.

NPC Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, said the report’s theme calls for a shift away from focusing solely on fertility rates to addressing the structural inequalities that shape reproductive choices.

“As fertility rates decline globally, Nigeria faces a unique demographic challenge,” Mr Kwarra said.

He referenced the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which showed a drop in the national Total Fertility Rate (TFR) from 5.3 to 4.8 children per woman.

“Adolescent fertility remains a concern, with 15 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 already pregnant or having begun childbearing,” he added.

According to him, modern contraceptive use among married women has increased slightly to 15 per cent but remains far from Nigeria’s target of 27 per cent by 2030.

He also noted that the unmet need for family planning, now at 21 per cent reflects a growing service delivery gap despite increasing demand.

Mr Kwarra stated that the report advocates a shift from population control to empowering individuals with reproductive agency, which he described as both a human rights issue and a development imperative.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, represented by Alex Ugochukwu, said the ministry, with support from partners, is working to expand access to family planning services.

Mr Salako also noted that efforts are underway to integrate maternal and child health with sexual and reproductive health education, particularly for young people and vulnerable populations.

“Reproductive health extends beyond the health sector, it intersects with education, gender equality, poverty reduction and community empowerment,” he said.

He added that the government is enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration and advocating for increased domestic funding to improve service delivery.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Population, Victor Umeh, cautioned against legislative attempts to regulate birth rates, stressing the importance of education instead.

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Mr Umeh said countries like China have attempted this approach, and it has not been particularly effective.
He advocated for sex education for girls to help them understand their reproductive cycles and take control of their fertility.

Speaking on the postponed National Population and Housing Census, Mr Umeh noted that accurate population data is essential for effective national planning.

He said President Bola Tinubu had established a Presidential Committee to ensure a credible census is conducted soon and assured that the National Assembly would provide full support for the exercise.

(NAN)