By Ojoma Akor
The Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) says Nigeria’s chronic under-funding of family planning commodities is pushing the country toward a deeper public-health and economic crisis.
AHBN’s Programme Delivery Lead and Francophone Liaison, Amina Haladu Mohammed, stated this while delivering a presentation titled “Nigeria’s Family Planning Commodities: Pills, Policies, and Promises” during the ninth annual conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHeJ) in Abuja.
She said the lack of steady investments has led to avoidable deaths, unsafe abortions, unmet health needs, and huge economic losses.
She highlighted that family planning commodities were not mere health products but “the backbone of progress,” describing them as one of Nigeria’s smartest financial investments.
She said, “For every one dollar invested in family planning, Nigeria gains an estimated 69 dollars in economic and social returns. Family planning empowers women, reduces maternal emergencies, prevents unintended pregnancies, and strengthens the economy.”
Mohammed said that over 8,000 unintended pregnancies occurred, adding that more than 300 unsafe abortions were recorded, directly linked to a lack of access to contraception.
She said, “At least 10,000 women died from preventable complications, and more than $200 million in potential health savings and economic gains were lost. These are not just numbers; they represent women whose lives could have been saved, and families spared from needless suffering.
The AHBN official expressed alarm that the 2025 federal budget contains no allocation for contraceptive procurement, unlike previous years.
She also said that the government’s annual $4 million commitment to the UNFPA Basket Fund, a critical pooled procurement mechanism, was also missing.
“Failure to release committed funds not only weakens national procurement cycles; it threatens donor confidence. When Nigeria fails to meet its obligations, development partners hesitate to provide support,” she added.
Mohammed further chronicled Nigeria’s recurring challenges with timely fund releases, noting that the inconsistency has repeatedly undermined forecasting and led to nationwide stockouts.
Between 2022 and 2023, she said, the country missed out on the UNFPA Supplies Match Fund, losing about $1.5 million each year.
In 2024, Nigeria forfeited approval for a $6 million tranche of commodities due to unmet financial commitments. Despite the setbacks, Mohammed acknowledged that recent government actions offer “a glimmer of hope.”
She said that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) plans to procure $6 million worth of commodities using 2025 funding, with distribution across all 774 LGAs.”
She also noted that the federal government has earmarked $4 million for family planning in 2025, with a similar amount planned for 2026.
“Ten percent of the ₦60 billion Medical Relief Fund under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Health Value Chain has been reserved for family planning commodities.
“These steps are encouraging, but they are not enough to close the enormous gap,” she noted.
She said development partners continue to provide crucial support, but warned that their contributions cannot replace domestic investment.
“Key donor interventions, she said, include: A $25 million commodity commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the Lagos State Government over five years.
“An opportunity to unlock an additional $2 million through UNFPA’s financing mechanisms. Yet, after adding up all available sources, Nigeria still faces an estimated $27 million shortfall for 2025. Only $4 million has been allocated for family planning activities in the 2025 budget, far below the recommended 1 percent of the national health budget,” she said.
Mohammed urged the federal government to prioritize domestic funding, strengthen procurement systems, and honour existing commitments.
“Family planning saves lives, strengthens families, and boosts national development. Nigeria cannot afford another year of zero releases, broken promises, and needless loss of lives,” she said.
She called on policymakers, donors, civil society, and journalists to sustain advocacy to ensure that access to family planning commodities becomes a national priority rather than an afterthought.
