A groundbreaking international report released by the African Media Agency (AMA) on 12 November 2018 at KIGALI, Rwanda shows over 1.7 million additional users of modern contraception in Nigeria since 2012, as the government works to expand family planning services. The report shows modern methods of contraception have prevented over 2 million unintended pregnancies and 735,000 unsafe abortions between July 2017 and July 2018.
Despite this progress, still only 13.8% of women aged 15-49 are using modern contraception in Nigeria, and one-in-four married women aged 15-49 have an unmet need for modern contraception. Beyond Nigeria, the report shows more women and girls than ever before are making the voluntary choice to use contraception in the world’s 69 lowest-income countries.
The report entitled FP2020: Catalyzing Collaboration has been produced by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) – a global partnership that supports the rights of women and girls to freely decide whether, when, and how many children they want to have. The report for the first time ever includes new data on government spending on family planning in Nigeria.
The report – available electronically [progress.familyplanning2020.org] shows:
In Nigeria:
- Domestic government spending on family planning of $8.5 million (2016) – compared to $19 million in Kenya and $8.1 million in Burkina Faso – see page 23 of the report at the above link.
- In Nigeria, among women aged 15-49, an estimated 13.8% or 6.2 million are using a modern method of contraception in 2018. This is 1,713,000 more than in 2012.
- The rate of modern contraceptive use among married women has increased to 12.2%.
- As a result of modern contraceptive use between July 2017 and July 2018:
○ 2,060,000 unintended pregnancies were prevented
○ 735,000 unsafe abortions were averted
○ 12,000 maternal deaths were averted
- However, 24.8% of married women aged 15-49 have an unmet need for a modern method of contraception.
