Commission Urges Homegrown Financing In Population Programmes

National Population Commission (NPC) has called for greater domestic financing of population programmes in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need to reduce reliance on external donor support.

At the launch of the 13th Annual Population Lecture Series (APLS 13) report yesterday in Abuja, Dr Aminu Yusuf (Talban Wushishi), chairman of NPC, said sustainable population management must be anchored on strong, reliable homegrown funding frameworks.

“The owner of the load must make the first attempt to carry it,” Dr Yusuf said, stressing that while international partnerships remain important, Nigeria’s demographic future requires robust domestic resource mobilisation.

The APLS 13 report, themed “Emerging Global Funding Realities: Impact on Population Activities and the Need for Innovative Domestic Resource Mobilisation,” provides a detailed analysis of challenges facing the country’s population and health programmes. It outlines policy briefs, strategic recommendations, and reflections on the implications of shifting global financing patterns.

According to the report, Nigeria’s Total Fertility Rate remains at about 4.8 children per woman, with regional disparities influenced by education and access to family planning services.

Development partner contributions, currently accounting for 11.6 per cent of national health expenditure, are increasingly uncertain, while gaps in education, healthcare, and employment continue to hinder the country’s demographic dividend.

Dr Yusuf also highlighted persistent weaknesses in the country’s data systems, including incomplete coverage of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), and stressed the need for strengthened institutional coordination to ensure effective population governance.

The report proposes a roadmap focused on innovative financing, private-sector engagement, policy implementation, and youth empowerment. Key initiatives include introducing blended financing models such as population bonds, better utilising diaspora remittances, and supporting at least 1,000 youth-led social enterprises in health, data innovation, and community development by the third quarter of 2026.

Barr. Patricia Iyanya Kupchi, Federal Commissioner representing Benue State, described the report as a strategic roadmap for Nigeria’s demographic resilience.

She said the APLS 13 provides evidence that the NPC is committed to facilitating sustainable and impactful population activities across the country.

She added, “By amplifying these recommendations, you help ensure that population management remains a priority within Nigeria’s national development framework.”

The NPC noted that this is the first time in 14 years that the APLS report has been formally produced and launched, signalling a milestone in the Commission’s efforts to institutionalise population data as a central pillar of national development planning.