Nigeria records 50% drop in maternal deaths in health facilities

Nigeria recorded a sharp decline in maternal deaths in health facilities in 2025, with the number dropping from 904 in 2024 to 460.

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This is according to the 2025 State of the Health of the Nation Report released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The report, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, linked the nearly 50 per cent reduction to expanded access to skilled maternity care, improved referral systems, and the nationwide scale-up of emergency obstetric services.

Building on the 2024 edition, the report tracks progress under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) 2023–2026, implemented through a Sector-Wide Approach coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Improvements in maternal health services

According to the report, improvements in maternal and newborn health services were among the most significant developments recorded in 2025.

Skilled birth attendance increased to 86.3 per cent, reflecting improved access to trained health professionals during childbirth.

The report also shows that institutional deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants rose from 82.2 per cent in 2024 to 86.5 per cent in 2025, while the proportion of women completing at least four antenatal visits increased from 22.2 per cent to 28.7 per cent, representing a 6.6 per cent increase in antenatal clinic attendance.

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Routine health system reporting further indicates that facility-based maternal deaths declined sharply from 904 to 460, reflecting improvements in access to quality maternal services, particularly at the primary healthcare level.

The report notes that maternal deaths remained relatively high throughout 2024, peaking at 211 in the second quarter and remaining elevated in the fourth quarter at 208.

However, the trend shifted in 2025, when deaths declined steadily from 161 in the first quarter to 108 in the fourth quarter, the lowest level recorded across the two-year period.

Overall, the ministry estimated an approximately 25 per cent reduction in maternal deaths between the first quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2025.

Emergency obstetric care expansion

The report indicates that a major contributor to the improvements was the nationwide expansion of the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme, which provides life-saving treatment for women experiencing severe pregnancy and childbirth complications.

The report states that over 20,000 women received CEmONC services in 2025 as the programme expanded across the country.

In total, 242 health facilities were empanelled across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while neonatal CEmONC services were introduced in selected facilities.

Emergency response systems supporting maternal health also handled thousands of cases during the year.

The State Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) supported 26,431 obstetric emergencies, while the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) assisted 34,331 women and newborns across 124 local government areas under the MAMII programme.

According to the report, these interventions strengthened referral systems and improved the capacity of health facilities to manage obstetric complications, a leading cause of maternal deaths.

Mixed results

While maternal health indicators improved, the report recorded mixed outcomes in child health.

Facility-based deaths among children under five increased from 1,991 in 2024 to 2,268 in 2025.

However, the report attributed the increase to data quality issues identified during a 2025 fact-finding exercise conducted by the CRDCU committee.

Maternal mortality in Nigeria

Despite the progress recorded in health facilities, Nigeria still carries a significant share of the global burden of maternal deaths.

As of last year, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Nigeria contributes the largest number of maternal deaths globally linked to postpartum haemorrhage, a severe bleeding complication that occurs after childbirth and remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality.

Similarly, a PREMIUM TIMES report last year highlighted that Nigeria remains among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with weak health financing, shortages of skilled health workers and limited access to emergency obstetric care continuing to drive preventable deaths.

In addition, an investigation carried out by PREMIUM TIMES in underserved Lagos communities such as Makoko and Bariga found that gaps in primary healthcare infrastructure and delayed emergency referrals continue to put pregnant women at risk.

The investigation documented cases where women had to travel long distances or rely on boats to reach health facilities during labour, highlighting how poor access to healthcare services contributes to maternal and neonatal deaths in vulnerable communities.