Nigeria’s total fertility rate has declined from 5.3 children per woman in 2018 to 4.8 in 2024, according to the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.
The report, released in Abuja on Friday, marks a significant demographic shift over the last five years.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, who unveiled the report, said the drop reflects gradual progress in the uptake of family planning services across the country.
“Modern contraceptive use among currently married women increased modestly to 15 percent in 2023 from 12 percent in 2018, while satisfied demand for family planning rose to 37 percent,” Salako said.
He described the progress as encouraging but noted that the country still has a long way to go to meet the levels required for rapid social and economic transformation.
According to him, antenatal care coverage currently stands at 63 percent, skilled birth attendance at 46 percent, while postnatal care within two days of delivery improved from 38 percent in 2018 to 42 percent in 2024.
The minister also disclosed that under-five mortality dropped sharply from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 110 per 1,000 in 2024.
However, neonatal mortality remained nearly unchanged, rising slightly from 39 to 41 deaths per 1,000 live births within the same period.
“More efforts are required to reduce neonatal deaths, which account for about 40 to 45 percent of under-five mortality,” Salako added.
He explained that the new data would guide evidence-based reforms, adding that the ministry had already begun implementing initiatives such as the Maternal and Maternal Mortality Reduction Initiative and the Nigerian Child Survivor Act (2023–2025) to address regional and systemic health challenges.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Kwarra, said the NDHS remains a vital tool for understanding key indicators in population, child and maternal health, nutrition, malaria, HIV, and other development areas.
“The survey’s success demonstrates the strength of institutional collaboration. Data is not just a technical output—it is a public good that supports evidence-based governance,” Kwarra stated.
Dr. Ritgak Tilly-Gyado, a Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, said the findings would aid policy modelling and support national planning in critical sectors such as health, education, and nutrition.
The 2024 NDHS was implemented by the NPC under the oversight of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with technical and financial support from development partners.
