Nigeria’s fertility rate drops to 4.8 children per woman — NDHS

Nigeria’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen from 5.3 children per woman in 2018 to 4.8 in 2024, marking a significant demographic shift over the past five years, according to the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) Report.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced the findings on Friday in Abuja during the report’s launch. He said the decline reflects growing access to and use of family planning services across the country.

According to Salako, the use of modern contraceptives among married women increased from 12 per cent in 2018 to 15 per cent in 2023, while the percentage of women whose family planning needs were met rose to 37 per cent.

He noted that although these gains were promising, they remained below the levels needed to drive rapid social and economic progress.

The report also showed improvements in maternal health indicators.

Antenatal coverage reached 63 per cent, skilled birth attendance rose to 46 per cent, and postnatal care within two days after delivery increased from 38 per cent in 2018 to 42 per cent in 2024.

On child survival, under-five mortality dropped from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 110 in 2024.

However, neonatal mortality showed little progress, moving slightly from 39 to 41 per 1,000 live births.

“More efforts are required to reduce neonatal deaths, which still account for about 40 to 45 per cent of under-five mortality,” Salako said.

He added that the ministry is translating the survey’s findings into actionable policy reforms through initiatives such as the Maternal and Maternal Mortality Reduction Initiative and the Nigerian Child Survivor Act (2023–2025), both aimed at tackling context-specific health challenges.

Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Nasir Kwarra, described the NDHS as a key tool for tracking national progress in population dynamics, maternal and child health, nutrition, malaria, HIV, and related development indicators.

Kwarra said the survey’s success reflects strong institutional collaboration between the NPC, the Health Ministry, and development partners, reaffirming that “data is not just a technical output but a public good that supports evidence-based governance.”

World Bank Senior Health Specialist, Dr. Ritgak Tilly-Gyado, said the new data would enhance the Bank’s policy modelling and analysis in critical sectors such as health, education, and nutrition.