Funding gaps threaten women’s health, demographic stability

The Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) has raised the alarm over a looming family planning commodity crisis in Nigeria, warning that the country risks severe health and demographic consequences if urgent action is not taken. The warning comes after the Federal Government failed to release any budgetary allocations for contraceptive procurement in 2025. Ms. Amina Mohammed, Programme Delivery Lead and Francophone Liaison at AHBN, sounded the alert in Abuja during the sidelines of the 9th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHeJ). She described the funding gaps as a “grave threat” to women’s health and a potential destabiliser of Nigeria’s demographic trajectory.

Mohammed noted that the complete absence of federal budget releases for family planning marked a sharp departure from previous years. She also highlighted Nigeria’s repeated failure to meet its annual $4 million commitment to the UNFPA Basket Fund, which supports pooled procurement systems for contraceptives, further weakening supply chains. Drawing on a presentation titled “Nigeria’s Family Planning Commodities: Pills, Policies and Promises,” Mohammed underscored the real-world consequences of chronic underfunding. “In 2024 alone, Nigeria recorded over 800,000 unintended pregnancies, 300,000 unsafe abortions, and more than 10,000 preventable maternal deaths due to poor access to contraceptives,” she said. “The nation also missed over $200 million in potential health savings.”

She explained that inconsistent funding patterns have disrupted supply forecasting, undermined procurement cycles, and triggered widespread stockouts across the country. Between 2022 and 2023, Nigeria reportedly lost $1.5 million annually under the UNFPA Supplies Match Fund, and in 2024, it failed to secure a second tranche of $6 million in commodities due to unmet commitments. According to Mohammed, UNFPA projects a $27 million shortfall for 2025. The national health budget allocated only $4 million for family planning activities — a figure far below the resources required to meet demand.

Despite the grim outlook, Mohammed highlighted emerging opportunities. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency plans to procure $6 million worth of commodities for nationwide distribution. Additionally, the Federal Ministry of Health has voted $4 million for 2025 and 2026, while the Presidential Medical Relief Fund has set aside six billion naira for family planning commodities. She also acknowledged critical donor contributions, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s $25 million support to Lagos State and UNFPA’s potential to unlock an additional $2 million in supplies. Yet, she stressed, these interventions are insufficient to close the widening funding gap and address the urgent needs of women nationwide.

Mohammed warned that failure to resolve the crisis would have far-reaching consequences. “A continued shortage of family planning commodities will strain the health system, increase child poverty, fuel unsafe abortions, and worsen unintended pregnancies,” she said, “ultimately weakening Nigeria’s economic and demographic prospects.” She called on the media to play a critical role in driving accountability. By highlighting bottlenecks, scrutinising funding releases, and amplifying evidence-based insights, journalists can help policymakers prioritise investments in family planning, safeguarding both public health and Nigeria’s broader development agenda.