The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has revealed that 90% which is nine in 10, of Nigerian women aged 50 and above had fewer children than they desired, pointing to a wide gap between reproductive intentions and outcomes in the country.
The finding is part of the 2025 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report, which was presented in Abuja on Tuesday in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC).
UNFPA said Nigeria’s high fertility rate, currently at 4.3 births per woman, is not driven by cultural preferences, but by limited access to reproductive healthcare and constrained reproductive rights.
“The Nigerian fertility crisis is not normal; it is a failure to respect, protect and fulfil individual reproductive rights,” said Mr. Koessan Kuawu, UNFPA Officer-in-Charge in Nigeria.
Global fertility trends contrast sharply with Nigeria’s situation
The global report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Health Agency,” also shows that while fertility rates are declining globally, Nigeria remains an outlier due to restricted access to reproductive health services and the persistent unmet need for family planning, contraceptive access, and sexual autonomy.
- The report reveals that Nigeria’s fertility rate currently stands at 4.3 births per woman, significantly higher than the global average of 2.2 in 2024. In comparison, South Korea and Italy have much lower rates at 0.75 and 1.21, respectively.
- Globally, fertility has declined from about five births per woman in the 1960s, with projections indicating a further drop by 2100.
- The report also highlights findings from a joint UNFPA-Google survey conducted across 14 countries, including Nigeria, to assess whether individuals are able to achieve their desired family size.
In Nigeria, 30% of men and 21% of women expressed a preference for having four or more children, well above the global averages of 11% and 9%, respectively.
Gap between desired and actual family size in Nigeria
Among Nigerian women under the age of 50, 12 % reported having fewer children than they desired, while nearly half said they had no children despite wanting them.
- Additionally, 11% of women said they had more children than they had planned, and 90% of women aged 50 and above reported having fewer children than they would have liked.
- However, many respondents cited health, economic, and social barriers as reasons for not being able to realize their preferred family size.
- The report attributed the gap between desired and actual family size to several factors, including infertility, inadequate access to healthcare, long-term illness, and poverty.
- It also raised concerns about sexual autonomy, revealing that 45% of Nigerian women and 20% of men reported being unable to refuse sex with a partner.
In addition, 25% of women and 13% of men were unable to use their preferred contraceptive methods, while 24% of women and 40% of men faced difficulties accessing reproductive health services.
“As fertility rates decline globally, Nigeria faces a unique demographic challenge,” said Mr Nasir Kwarra, NPC Chairman. The report’s theme calls for a shift away from focusing solely on fertility rates to addressing the structural inequalities that shape reproductive choices.
He referenced the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which showed a drop in the national Total Fertility Rate (TFR) from 5.3 to 4.8 children per woman.
“Adolescent fertility remains a concern, with 15% of girls aged 15 to 19 already pregnant or having begun childbearing,” he added.
According to him, modern contraceptive use among married women has increased slightly to 15% but remains far from Nigeria’s target of 27% by 2030.
He also noted that the unmet need for family planning, now at 21%, reflects a growing service delivery gap despite increasing demand.
Expansion of family planning services
Kwarra stated that the report advocates a shift from population control to empowering individuals with reproductive agency, which he described as both a human rights issue and a development imperative.
Also speaking, Dr Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, represented by Mr Alex Ugochukwu, said the ministry, with support from partners, is working to expand access to family planning services.
He also noted that efforts are underway to integrate maternal and child health with sexual and reproductive health education, particularly for young people and vulnerable populations.
“Reproductive health extends beyond the health sector; it intersects with education, gender equality, poverty reduction, and community empowerment,” he said.
Salako added that the government is enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration and advocating for increased domestic funding to improve service delivery.
