Nigeria stands to gain nearly tenfold returns on every dollar invested in family planning while drastically reducing unsafe abortions and maternal deaths, according to Professor Adesegun Oladapo Fatusi, a foremost public health expert.
Speaking in Abuja at The Challenge Initiative (TCI) National Dissemination Meeting themed “Celebrating Milestones, Inspiring Progress: Empowering Local Leadership for a Sustainable Family Planning Future,” Prof. Fatusi President of the Academy for Health Development (AHEAD) and Immediate Past Vice-Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo called on governments at all levels to move from “talk to tangible action.”
“For every one dollar we invest in family planning, we get back $9.8 in savings,” he said. “Investing in family planning isn’t just saving lives it’s smart economics.”
The Professor of Community Medicine at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, explained that evidence-based tools like the Family Planning Impact Calculator show how such investments prevent thousands of unsafe abortions and save women’s lives.
“With just one million dollars, we can prevent about 6,000 unsafe abortions and save thousands of mothers,” he said. “But without that investment, nothing will happen.”
He stated that meeting Nigeria’s family planning needs could reduce unsafe abortions by about 80 percent and maternal deaths by 61 percent outcomes that directly support the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Fatusi lamented that despite repeated commitments, family planning funding in Nigeria remains grossly inadequate.
“Without funding, there is nothing,” he said. “Up to 2011, the Nigerian government never invested a single dollar in family planning commodities. Even now, the commitment is inconsistent. Many states are yet to allocate at least one percent of their health budgets to family planning.”
He revealed that as of July 2024, the funding gap for family planning commodities stood at 52 percent, with only five states showing consistent support.
“There’s more money in the states today than ever before,” he noted. “So there’s no excuse. What we need is the political will and leadership to prioritize family planning.”
According to Fatusi, family planning remains one of the most effective strategies to curb maternal mortality, teenage pregnancy, and unsafe abortion.
“It has taken us so long to get where we are that falling back would be a disaster,” he warned. “If we don’t fund commodities and sustain access, we could lose years of progress and it may take another five years to recover.”
He underscored that countries investing in family planning reap both health and economic dividends through reduced healthcare costs and improved productivity.
Fatusi stressed that achieving lasting impact requires community ownership and local accountability.
“Without community-based systems, there is no health system,” he said. “Communities must not only benefit from programs they must own them, believe in them, and hold leaders accountable.”
He cited a rural community that mobilized to demand healthcare infrastructure after a maternal death as a powerful example of grassroots leadership driving change.
“The difference between crisis and opportunity is leadership,” he said. “That’s what we need at every level courageous leaders who can turn challenges into reforms.”
While urging sustainable financing, Fatusi also called for investment in human resources and digital capacity to strengthen service delivery.
“Without a strong health workforce, we cannot make progress,” he emphasized. “We must invest in people, in technology, and in locally driven innovations. Each state must find what works best for its people there is no one-size-fits-all approach.”
He further advocated integrating family planning into Nigeria’s broader health system for sustainability.
“If you’re building a house without a strong foundation, you’re wasting your time,” he said. “The health system is the foundation. Family planning, maternal, and child health must all be part of one strong, functional system.”
Commending the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for renewed focus on maternal and reproductive health under Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Fatusi urged that family planning remain at the heart of national health policy.
“I’m excited that the Health Minister is pushing to reduce maternal deaths,” he said. “But if we lose sight of family planning, those gains will not be sustainable.”
He concluded with a call for stronger advocacy and data-driven decision-making.
“People can only act on what they know. That’s why advocacy is key,” he said. “Leaders must understand that family planning is not about politics it’s about saving lives and driving development.”
The TCI meeting brought together state commissioners, development partners, and reproductive health advocates who showcased milestones in promoting local ownership and sustainability of family planning programs across Nigeria.