How Nigeria Is Set To Record 700,000 Unwanted Pregnancies, 300,000 Abortions In 2023

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNDP), Nigeria’s difficulty in affording family planning may result in an increase in 700,000 unintended pregnancies and about 300,000 abortions.

Reproductive Health, UNDP, Dr Adeela Khan, said this at an event to mark the 2023 World Population Day organised by the National Population Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to her, the funding gap for family planning was widening, increasing from $25m in last year to $32m in 2023 and this will lead to 700,000 unintended pregnancies, which would further lead to 300,000 unplanned births and 300,000 unsafe abortions.

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She said, “Family planning programme is largely dependent on funding, and that is dwindling funding. As far as 2022, there was a gap of $25m. This year, we are looking at a gap of $32m. What is very important about this gap is that if you are casting it, there will be 700,000 unintended pregnancies, which will result in approximately 300,000 unplanned births and 300,000 unsafe abortions.”

Khan, however, noted that the government had been making some efforts through policies, such as the National Policy for Population and Sustainable Development in 2022, and financial commitment to ensuring family planning.

She added, “The Nigerian government has been recognising the importance of investing in family planning.”