A staggering 97 per cent reduction in Nigeria’s family planning budget for 2025 has ignited serious concerns about the nation’s ability to provide essential reproductive health services to its populace. The allocation of a mere N66.39 million, a sharp decline from the N2.2 billion earmarked in 2024, comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with a global downturn in donor funding, notably the suspension of support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The funding freeze by USAID followed a directive issued by US President Donald Trump earlier this year, impacting various health initiatives in developing nations, including crucial family planning programmes in Nigeria. Despite repeated attempts to ascertain the rationale behind this drastic budget cut, the Nigerian government has remained silent. Inquiries directed to the health ministry were met with a referral to the Director of Family Health, Binyerem Ukaire, whose response, “To get reaction from the government, you need to go through the right channel,” provided no substantive explanation.
For Nigeria, a nation grappling with one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally – a significant portion of which are preventable through timely access to contraception and quality care – this funding shortfall could undo years of hard-won progress. The United Nations recently issued a stark warning about the potential for global reductions in health aid to reverse decades of advancements in tackling maternal deaths. Their report, “Trends in Maternal Mortality,” highlighted that improved access to critical health services contributed significantly to the 40 per cent global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023. Alarmingly, the report also indicated that Nigeria accounted for over a quarter (28.5 per cent) of the world’s maternal deaths in 2020, with an estimated 82,000 recorded fatalities.
Ijeoma Nwankwo, the programme manager at the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Foundation (PSNF), voiced profound apprehension regarding the budget cut. Speaking with a sense of urgency, she described it as “a major threat to reproductive health service delivery, especially in rural and underserved communities.” As a seasoned pharmacist, Ms. Nwankwo emphasized that this drastic reduction would severely impede access to vital family planning commodities and services for millions of women, particularly those in remote areas already facing significant hurdles due to distance, cost, and societal stigma. “Without adequate funding,” she asserted, “we risk reversing the progress made in reducing maternal mortality and improving women’s health outcomes.”
The implications of dwindling international support were further underscored by Mr. Ukpai, the director of programmes at dRPC. He noted that the withdrawal of key international donors, including the US, UK, and EU, who are increasingly redirecting funds towards other priorities such as national defence, has created a widening financial chasm for Nigeria. Mr. Ukpai cautioned that these global aid reductions could have profound consequences for the country’s reproductive health services, especially if domestic investment continues its downward trajectory.
The adverse effects of underfunded family planning initiatives are already becoming palpable. Reports indicate a sharp decline in the number of women accessing these essential services. Saleh Abba, a family physician based in Borno State, recently revealed that family planning uptake in the state plummeted from 13,000 women in January to a mere 3,000 in February of this year. Dr. Abba attributed this significant drop to the scarcity of contraceptive supplies and the cessation of donor funding.
However, amidst this challenging landscape, Stanley Ilechukwu, the executive director of the South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), offered a glimmer of hope. While acknowledging the disruption caused by the funding cessation, he pointed to the recent judicial affirmation of autonomy for Local Government Areas (LGAs) as a potential avenue to mitigate the damage. “With LGAs now ‘autonomous’, we should begin to hold them to the same standards as the federal and state governments and make them commit to the same pledges, particularly with regards to healthcare financing,” Mr. Ilechukwu proposed.
His suggestion involves earmarking a portion of LGA funding for the procurement of family planning commodities. He believes that a concerted effort by all LGAs, coupled with matching funds from state governments over a four-year period, could pave the way for a sustainable domestic market for family planning commodities. Mr. Ilechukwu further emphasized the importance of balancing both the demand and supply sides of family planning services to ensure both immediate and long-term needs are met sustainably. “It is critical to ensure that we are not just dependent on donor funding but are also creating domestic solutions to address these challenges,” he stated.
Echoing this sentiment, Ms. Nwankwo stressed that while donor funding has historically played a vital role in supporting Nigeria’s family planning initiatives, an over-reliance on external partners is not a sustainable model. “It’s time for the government, at all levels, to take ownership of reproductive health programmes. States must begin to allocate and release dedicated budgets for family planning as part of their commitment to primary health care and women’s health,” she urged.
Furthermore, Ms. Nwankwo highlighted the crucial role that the private sector can play in bridging the existing funding gaps. According to her, the private sector possesses the potential to strengthen supply chain systems, invest in public awareness campaigns, and drive innovation in contraceptive access. She concluded by calling on the government to take proactive and decisive steps to ensure the continuity and sustainability of family planning services across the nation, emphasizing the urgent need for domestic resource mobilization and strategic partnerships to safeguard the reproductive health and well-being of Nigerian women.
