The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy, guidelines to promote access to safe and legal abortion services in line with Nigerian law.
The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, made this known during a seminar held in Abeokuta. The event was organised by the state’s Ministry of Health in partnership with the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps.
Ogunsola explained that the initiative is part of the state’s strategy to address unsafe abortion — one of the major causes of maternal mortality — and to provide women with medically supervised reproductive healthcare options.
“Unsafe abortion remains one of the top five direct causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria,” he said. “An estimated 97 per cent of such cases occur among women from low- and middle-income communities due to stigma, misinformation, and lack of access to safe services.”
He stressed that the government’s focus is to work closely with healthcare professionals, civil society, and legal experts to effectively roll out the SToP guidelines.
“The right to access safe abortion care within legal boundaries is supported by the Nigerian Constitution,” Ogunsola added.
“This underscores the government’s duty to protect the health and rights of women and girls through lawful and medically sound services.”
In her address, Dr. Moriam Jagun, Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, described unsafe abortion as one of the most preventable yet persistent causes of death among women.
She said the issue continues to claim lives because of societal stigma and silence around reproductive health.
“Across Nigeria and West Africa, conversations around abortion are often avoided,” she said. “We must collectively safeguard women’s health, rights, and dignity by ensuring access to legal, safe, and quality reproductive services.”
Dr. Jagun urged policymakers, medical experts, faith leaders, and civil society groups to unite in promoting evidence-based care that saves lives and upholds women’s right to choose within the law.
Also speaking, Mrs. Oluwakemi Lawal, Director of the Citizens’ Rights Department, clarified that abortion is legally permissible in Nigeria when a pregnancy poses a serious threat to a woman’s life or physical health.
“Abortions in such circumstances must be carried out by qualified medical practitioners in a hygienic environment,” she stated.
A representative of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria, Dr. Olusoji Jagun, added that promoting safe abortion services is essential to protecting women’s rights.
“Women should be able to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without fear of legal or social backlash,” he said. “Public awareness about the SToP guidelines is crucial to saving lives.”
According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with unsafe abortion being a major contributing factor. Experts believe that improved access to safe, legal abortion care could significantly reduce preventable deaths among women of reproductive age.
