Bukola Afeni
The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference Dr Ejike Oji has emphasized the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s rapid population growth.
He made the disclosure at the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference 2024 Media Roundtable in Abuja.
The Family Planning expert added that Nigeria need to reduce its fertility rates, citing India and China successes in investing in their young population..
” If you look at both India and China, fifty years ago, they were poor countries with large population. But they were able to turn the tide by cutting down their fertility rates and then investing in their young population.
“Nigeria has the opportunity to reduce its fertility rate now, if we do not bring down our fertility rate, we are going to be in serious trouble”.
Dr. Oji stressed Nigeria’s opportunity to replicate the same success story, cautioning that failure to reduce our fertility rates by 2030 will have dire consequences.
” Previously our fertility rate is 5.3, presently it is now 4.8 .
The average rate for the world is 2.5. We need to improve on our own present figure.”
Dr. Oji further highlighted the significance of the FP conference, stating that the program. will be a big platform for major conversations around financing, and raising domestic resources.”
The Senior Lead Advocacy and Country Engagement FP 2030, North West and Central Africa Hub, Yusuf Nuhu, said Nigeria should accelerate progress to increase domestic resource mobilisation for Family Planning Services.
He further added that Nigeria has a very large and growing adolescent and Youth population.
” As the population of our youth is on the increase, the demand for family planning services will continue to rise. There is also an increase in the use of long acting methods (such as implants) among unmarried sexually active women in West Africa”.
Amref International Consultant, Ifesinachi Eze, noted that disruptions in Family planning services in humanitarian settings leave women with unmet family planning needs.
“The health challenges posed by such disruptions are enormous , the effects of such shocks and stressors on family planning is huge.
“Some of the disruption could be due to funding gap, insecurity, or weak infrastructure which can strain the health system”.
In the same vein, she added that the USAID’s PROPEL Adapt project is developing a Private sector Engagement guide for Family Planning/ Reproductive Health supply chains in humanitarian settings.
“The guide created in Collaboration with FP2030, supports countries in rapidly assessing private sector capacities, fostering public private collaborations ,and strengthening supply chains during emergencies “.
