Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
Across Northeast Nigeria, a quiet revolution in reproductive health is unfolding as record numbers of women access modern contraception despite formidable challenges. The latest National Demographic and Health Survey reveals that contraceptive uptake in the region has doubled from 6% to 34.76% since 2018.
The turning point came when religious leaders like Ustaz Umar Bilal began incorporating family planning messages, showing how the Quran supports child spacing for maternal health. He noted that theological endorsement has been crucial in a region where 42% of men previously opposed contraception due to inadequate knowledge.
Fatima Mohammed highlighted her experience distributing contraceptive pills and counseling mothers. “Before, women hid when we came with family planning services,” she said, her medical kit overflowing with contraceptives. “Now they queue openly, even bringing their friends.”
This shift reflects years of targeted interventions by state governments and partners like UNFPA, which has deployed 45 mobile clinics across hard-to-reach areas of Adamawa, Bauchi, and Yobe states.
At Specialist Hospital Damaturu and Potiskum, Aisha, a medical practitioner in charge of distributing contraceptives including implants and pills, noted an increase in LARC (long-acting reversible contraceptive) uptake since 2022. “The demand for implants and IUDs now outstrips our monthly supplies,” she added.
According to Abdulmumini Usman, innovative approaches are bridging service gaps by delivering contraceptives to nomadic communities, leading to growing acceptance.
The recent inauguration of the Northeast Reproductive Health Task Force promises better coordination, while UNFPA’s $15 million investment will bolster commodity security through 2026. As adolescent birth rates begin declining for the first time in a generation, the region stands at a crossroads.
“We have planted the seeds of change,” said Dr. Ali of the Northeast Health Initiative. “Now we must ensure they take root.” For millions of women across the Northeast, the ability to plan their families could prove as transformative as the ongoing peacebuilding efforts in this conflict-affected region.
Earlier, a media roundtable meeting organized by the Yobe Family Planning Media Advocacy Team brought together journalists, healthcare providers, religious leaders, and development partners (including TCI and DevComs) to discuss the state of family planning services in the region.
The meeting emphasized the need for continued sensitization, improved access, and religious support for child spacing.
Mustapha Yusuf Musa, Chairman of the Yobe Family Planning Media Advocacy Team, highlighted the group’s efforts in promoting reproductive health awareness since April 2024.
*“Through radio programs, community outreach, and special reportage, journalists have played a key role in dispelling myths and encouraging family planning uptake, particularly in rural areas.
We have recorded success stories where husbands and wives now openly discuss child spacing—a topic once misunderstood,”* Musa said.
Despite these success stories, challenges remain, including security risks in remote areas and resistance from some household heads. Religious clerics across communities continue to emphasize in sermons that parents must care for their families’ physical and emotional well-being, which may involve planning family size.
In the aftermath of the insurgency, the Northeast has been battling to improve its healthcare system and economic well-being. Experts stress that the need for birth control should remain a priority.