Stakeholders highlight implications of USAID’s exit for family planning in Nigeria

The current withdrawal of USAID’s funding for Household Planning (FP) companies in Nigeria has sparked considerations amongst stakeholders, who warned that the nation’s reproductive well being system is at a crossroads.

The stakeholders raised this concern on the thirteenth Annual Worldwide Convention of the Inhabitants Affiliation of Nigeria (PAN) held in Abuja on Monday.

The specialists famous that Nigeria had relied closely on donor assist to maintain its FP programmes for a few years.

In keeping with them, this has ensured thousands and thousands of ladies have entry to contraceptives and reproductive well being companies. Nevertheless, that assist is quickly disappearing, leaving the nation at a vital crossroads.

Talking on the occasion, the Chairperson of the Affiliation for the Development of Household Planning (AAFP), Ejike Oji, recounted how he not too long ago acquired a letter confirming the worst fears of many within the sector.

“The letter, dated 20 January, knowledgeable me that USAID can be halting its funding for a key household planning programme, pending a 90-day assessment,” Mr Oji mentioned.

In keeping with him, this transfer follows a rising development of worldwide donors pulling out, citing Nigeria’s failure to ship measurable progress regardless of years of funding.

“We had been in a gathering years in the past when a USAID official bluntly requested us, “Why ought to we preserve funding you when we’re not seeing outcomes?” Now, they’ve lastly determined to stroll away,” he mentioned.

He mentioned that with out donor assist, contraceptive provides would dwindle, resulting in a surge in unintended

pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and elevated maternal deaths.He famous that Nigeria’s reproductive well being system, already fragile, might collapse underneath the pressure, undoing years of progress.

The convention, themed “Inhabitants Progress, Demographic Challenges, and Nationwide Growth,” was organised in collaboration with the event Analysis and Tasks Centre (dRPC).

Elevated funding

The specialists additionally known as for elevated funding for FP initiatives to deal with Nigeria’s demographic challenges and enhance reproductive well being outcomes.

Mr Oji mentioned the nationwide finances for household planning was lowered by 90 per cent in 2019 on account of inadequate counterpart funding to match donor grants.This lower resulted in stock-outs of contraceptive commodities at Main Well being Centres, additional limiting girls’s entry to important household planning companies.

He mentioned the development of underfunding continued, with the 2024 finances allocating solely ₦2.2 billion to FP programmes, representing a 0.16 per cent of the general well being finances.

This allocation fell wanting the federal government’s dedication to dedicate no less than one per cent of the nationwide annual well being finances to household planning, elevating considerations about Nigeria’s means to satisfy the FP2030 targets, which intention for a 27 per cent Trendy Contraceptive prevalence Charge (MCPR) by 2030.

In 2025, the state of affairs worsened with a 97 per cent discount in FP funding, lowering from N2.23 billion in 2024 to only N66.39 million.

Specialists warn that with out correct funding, FP programmes might collapse, resulting in extra unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths.

An obstetrician and gynecologist, Fatima Mairami, emphasised the necessity to prioritise household planning as a vital public well being difficulty.

Ms Mairami described household planning as a sustainable answer to the challenges posed by the nation’s speedy inhabitants progress.

Affect of funding lower

Talking on the implications of funding lower, the Senior Programme Officer for the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Basis (PSNF), Ijeoma Nwankwo mentioned the discount in funding has elevated stress on the non-public sector to fill the hole, straining their capability to offer enough companies.

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Ms Nwankwo famous that the funding lower has additionally denied many people entry to contraceptives, limiting availability for each married and single girls, thereby exacerbating the challenges of FP companies within the nation.

She highlighted the function of expertise in addressing the gaps created by funding cuts in household planning initiatives.

She famous that leveraging expertise can assist improve entry to contraceptives and household planning companies, particularly for underserved populations.

In keeping with her, digital platforms might be utilised to offer training on household planning choices, join people with healthcare suppliers, and facilitate the supply of contraceptives.

“Expertise provides a scalable and modern strategy to bridging the gaps brought on by funding cuts. Through the use of digital instruments, we will be certain that FP companies attain those that want them essentially the most, even in essentially the most distant areas,” she defined.