Nigeria is failing to make family-planning services consistently affordable and accessible, putting millions of families at a disadvantage. Cost, distance, contraceptive stock-outs, misinformation, and stigma restrict people's ability to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives. Dr. Ejike Oji, Chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) Nigeria, made this statement on World Contraception Day 2026. He emphasized that the country must move beyond policy commitments to ensure contraceptive choices are available, affordable, and accessible to everyone.
Dr. Oji stressed that no Nigerian should be denied the opportunity to choose a contraceptive method due to poverty, location, age, disability, marital status, or social stigma. The call highlights the human cost of weak access, particularly for people living in rural and underserved communities, adolescents, young people, persons with disabilities, internally displaced populations, and households with limited financial resources. These groups face challenges in finding and paying for services, reaching facilities, obtaining preferred methods, and receiving accurate counseling.
AAFP Nigeria is urging the Federal and state governments to sustain family-planning financing, prevent contraceptive stock-outs, and strengthen services at primary healthcare and community levels. The organization also recommends expanding youth-friendly care, removing financial, geographical, and social barriers, and providing stronger training for healthcare workers. Wider public education and greater involvement of men, traditional and religious leaders, young people, and communities are needed to confront myths, misinformation, and stigma.
The theme of World Contraception Day 2026 in Nigeria is "No Barriers, Just Choices: Contraceptive Access Now." AAFP Nigeria is pressing for a shift from commitments on paper to services that Nigerians can access, afford, and use voluntarily. The organization demands urgent national action to dismantle barriers preventing women, men, adolescents, and couples from accessing voluntary, quality contraceptive services.
The consequences of inaccessibility are severe, particularly for vulnerable groups. People in rural areas and underserved communities face significant barriers in accessing family-planning services. Adolescents and young people also struggle to obtain these services, which can have far-reaching consequences for their health and well-being.
Dr. Oji's call to action emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to address the barriers to contraceptive access. This includes addressing poverty, location, age, disability, marital status, and social stigma. The government, healthcare providers, and communities must work together to ensure that everyone has access to quality family-planning services.
AAFP Nigeria's demands for urgent national action highlight the need for a collaborative effort to address the barriers to contraceptive access. The organization is working to ensure that everyone in Nigeria has access to quality family-planning services, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Key points
- Dr. Ejike Oji calls for urgent national action to make family-planning services affordable and accessible in Nigeria.
