The 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference has called on the Nigerian government to establish and fund dedicated budget lines for family planning at all levels, aligning with the National Council on Health’s approval.
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Presenting the conference communiqué, at the Post-8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference Media Roundtable in Abuja, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Dr. Ejike Oji, emphasized the urgent need for increased domestic funding to sustain family planning services and meet the country’s FP2030 commitments.
A key highlight from the conference held from December 2 to 6, 2024, was the pledge by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to push for legislation ensuring increased funding for family planning programs.
Stakeholders stressed the need for a minimum 2% annual increase in the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) to achieve Nigeria’s 27% target by 2030.
Participants also urged religious and traditional leaders to actively support family planning advocacy by integrating modern contraceptive education into faith teachings and addressing cultural norms that discourage smaller family sizes. The role of men as decision-makers in family planning discussions was also emphasized.
Additionally, the conference recommended expanding reproductive health services in rural areas, strengthening data collection for family planning, and prioritizing gender-based violence prevention through women’s empowerment initiatives.
The Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) called on governments, NGOs, youth-led organizations, women-led organizations, and civil society to implement the conference recommendations by 2027 to achieve equitable and sustainable family planning services.”
The AAFP expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, UNFPA, BMGF, FP2030, CIFF, and development partners, for their support and contributions to the conference’s success.
Dr. Oji reaffirmed AAFP’s commitment to advancing family planning policies and called for the immediate implementation of these recommendations by 2027 to ensure equitable and sustainable reproductive health services in Nigeria.
A 400-level student of Benue State University (BSU), Agbo Ene Mary, emphasized the importance of family planning in ensuring better living conditions for families and society.
Recounting her attendance at last year’s Conference on Family Planning, Agbo Ene revealed how the event changed her perspective on childbirth and family size. Coming from a family of seven children, she highlighted the financial struggles her parents face in raising and educating them.
“When I returned home, I asked my grandmother why she had 11 children. She explained that in her time, large families were needed to support farm work,” she said. “However, I told her that raising children today is much harder due to financial constraints.”
She further engaged her mother in a discussion on family planning, questioning why she gave birth to seven children. Her mother responded that “children are blessings from God” and that having many children brings more blessings to a family.
However, she also admitted facing financial difficulties in raising them, with her and her husband, a retired farmer, working tirelessly to sustain the household.
The student also drew attention to the rising number of children struggling on the streets in places like Mararaba and Keffi, pointing out that many are forced into early labor or even harmful lifestyles due to financial hardship. She linked this to the need for better family planning awareness.
“Some people think family planning means stopping childbirth entirely, but that’s not true. It’s about planning the number of children a family can properly care for,” she explained. “Spacing between births is also important.”
Agbo Ene urged families and communities to embrace family planning, stressing that it plays a vital role in reducing poverty, improving education, and creating a better future for children.
Her heartfelt testimony underscored the need for continuous advocacy on reproductive health and responsible parenting in Nigeria.
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