As Nigeria’s population is projected to hit 450 million by 2050, reproductive health experts and stakeholders have identified family planning as key to population control, economic growth and sustainability.
The stakeholders highlighted this at the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Pre-conference Media Round Table, with the leading conference themed “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative; Advancing progress toward Achieving FP2030 Goals”, set to begin December 2 to December 6.
The chairman of the management committee of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) and the chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Ejike Orji, stated that reducing fertility rates is essential for Nigeria to manage its population and improve living standards. “If we do not bring down our fertility rates, by the year 2050, we will be 450 million,” he said, underscoring the urgency of the issue.
Dr Orji highlighted the role of family planning in boosting economic development, stating that Nigeria adds approximately four million people to its population annually, a number expected to grow exponentially. “This geometric increase will create serious problems for us if not addressed,” he warned.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Dr Orji mentioned that it aims to rally public and private stakeholders to tackle this challenge through strategic investments and commitments to family planning.
“We aim to get declarations from Nigerian top business moguls and foundations to make a commitment to donate money for family planning in the country,” he explained.
Dr Orji compared countries like India and China, which significantly reduced their fertility rates and invested in their young populations to drive economic growth.
“They were very poor countries 50 years ago. But they turned the tide by cutting down their fertility rates and investing in their young population,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria has the same opportunity to transform its economic prospects by leveraging its demographic dividend.
The chairman expressed some optimism about recent progress in Nigeria’s fertility rates. “It has come down from 5.3 to 4.8,” he revealed, citing findings from the Nigerian Demographic Health Survey.
However, he noted that more work is needed to achieve a target fertility rate by 2030. “If we don’t act now, we are going to be in serious trouble,” he concluded, urging stakeholders to seize the moment and commit to transformative action at the conference.
On his part, the managing director of FP2030, Martin Migombano, stated that family planning could reduce maternal mortality by at least 30 percent, calling it a critical solution to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate, which accounts for 28.5 per cent of global deaths.
“If we reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria through family planning, it will result in almost a 20 percent global reduction,” he explained, emphasising that this would be a significant step toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Nma Ogbonna, from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,
assured of the federal government’s commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of Nigerians.
She also urged family planning literacy amongst women and men.
“With proper literacy level, one can make informed decisions”, she said.
“Government is working to ensure the needs of Nigerians are met”, she added.
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