Experts warn Nigeria’s population could reach 450 million by 2050 without fertility rate control. Collaborative family planning is key to averting crises.
Experts have raised concerns about Nigeria’s rapidly growing population, which could surge to 450 million by 2050 if the current fertility rate persists.
The issue was discussed at a media roundtable preceding the eighth Nigeria Family Planning Conference in Abuja.
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The event, organised by the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, aims to address reproductive health challenges and reaffirm family planning commitments.
Dr Ejike Oji, chairman of the Management Committee for AAFP, highlighted the urgent need to reduce Nigeria’s fertility rate from 4.8% to 4%.
He warned that the annual population increase, currently adding four million people per year, could soon rise exponentially.
“If we don’t bring down our fertility rates, by 2050, our population will reach 450 million,” Oji stated.
He drew comparisons to India and China, emphasising that these nations curbed high fertility rates and invested in their youth to achieve economic transformation.
Themed “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” the conference will address key issues, including:
- Accessibility to family planning services
- Availability of contraceptives and reproductive health commodities
- Grassroots-level interventions for women
Dr Martin Migombano of FP2030 North, West, and Central Africa Hub underscored the urgency, noting that 28.5% of global maternal mortality occurs in Nigeria.
“Collaboration among government, religious leaders, and donors is essential to making family planning accessible,” he said.
Mrs Ifesinachi Eze, a consultant at Amref International, highlighted how disruptions in family planning during crises leave women vulnerable.
She introduced USAID’s Propel Adapt project, which fosters public-private collaboration to strengthen family planning supply chains in emergencies.
“Governments and the private sector must collaborate to create frameworks, incentives, and infrastructure that enable the health sector to thrive,” Eze stated.
The conference seeks to reassess Nigeria’s progress towards FP2030 goals while emphasising the collective effort required to meet family planning needs.
Experts agree that controlling population growth through family planning and education is vital to averting a demographic crisis and securing a sustainable future for Nigeria.
