Nigeria Sees Improvement in Maternal Healthcare but Gaps Persist – 2025 Health Report

Nigeria has recorded significant improvements in maternal health services, family planning uptake and antenatal care utilisation in 2025, according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report released on Sunday in Abuja.

The report, produced under the National Health Act 2014, noted progress in key maternal health indicators but warned that major challenges remain in postnatal care, cancer screening and access to skilled birth attendants across the country.

According to the report, family planning services expanded steadily during the year, with about 80,000 women newly accepting modern contraceptive methods each quarter, representing an overall 45 per cent increase in uptake nationwide in 2025.

The report stated that modern contraceptive prevalence among married women stood at 15 per cent, while 49.6 per cent of women now have their family planning needs met by modern methods, up from 42 per cent recorded in 2018.

Attendance at antenatal care clinics also improved, with first visits consistently exceeding 1.8 million nationwide. The number of women completing the recommended four antenatal visits rose from 760,000 in early 2024 to more than one million by 2025.

Despite this progress, the report revealed that about 60 per cent of pregnant women still begin antenatal care after 20 weeks of pregnancy, highlighting ongoing delays in accessing maternal health services in many communities.

The number of deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants also increased significantly, rising from 640,000 in 2024 to 900,000 in 2025, reflecting improved delivery practices. However, about seven per cent of births in health facilities were still conducted without skilled personnel.

Maternal deaths recorded in health facilities declined during the year, dropping from 161 cases in the first quarter to 108 in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing roughly a 25 per cent decrease compared with 2024 levels.

However, the report identified postnatal care as a major gap, noting that only 43 per cent of women received health checks within two days after delivery, a slight improvement from 42 per cent recorded in 2018.

The report also highlighted broader health risks affecting women in Nigeria, including anaemia affecting about 47 per cent of women, low cancer screening rates, gaps in hepatitis awareness and growing nutrition concerns, with about 30 per cent of women reported to be overweight or obese.

Health experts say the findings underline the need for sustained investment in maternal healthcare services and stronger awareness programmes to address remaining gaps and improve health outcomes for women across the country.

Source: NAN