By Muhammad Amaan
The Africa health budget network (AHBN) has called on the Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate to swift into action to address a critical challenge of Family planning funding gaps and commodities stockout across Nigeria.
Available data from National Health Logistic Management Information System (LHMIS) and Demographic Health Information System (DHIS) have reported Stockout of Family planning commodities in 24 states in Nigeria with the worst performing states are in north west and north central.
The AHBN in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday, noted that 13 states that have reported progress with the best performing states in south west and south east.
AHBN relies on evidence that estimated health and economic impact of the 2026 funding gap for the procurement of contraceptives were found to be 2.3 million unintended pregnancies, about 241,000 unsafe abortions, and about 14,000 maternal deaths and about 280 million health savings unattained.
These has led to Reversal of Progress such as stock- out at levels of supply chain, Service providers nationwide will not provide family planning services to sustain FP gains over the years and protect the health and rights of women, adolescents, and children.
Also, it has led to discontinued Users and High Unmet Needs, Health, Economic and Social Impact Sustained and predictable financing is essential for Nigeria to remain on track toward achieving its national target of a modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) of 27.5% by 2030.
Timely release of the pledged funds would demonstrate continued government leadership and commitment to improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes.
Nigeria is currently facing a substantial funding gap for FP commodities. If the Federal Government releases its pledged contribution, the national funding gap would reduce to 69%.
Without this release, the gap widens to 80%, further exacerbating supply constraints and increasing the risk of prolonged stockouts nationwide. Sustained and predictable financing is essential for Nigeria to remain on track toward achieving its national target of a modern Contraceptive Prevalence.
We strongly urge the federal government to as a matter of urgency;
• Fulfill the 2026 government commitment as an approved budget including the budget line to unlock UNFPA Match fund to the tune of USD4.5million and Primary Health Care funding to the tune of USD5million in line with the 2.1 disbursement link indicator of the Worlds Bank and Nigerian Government HOPE agreement.
• Call on the Federal Ministry of Finance to sign the Annex A of the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Compact of Commitments to unlock UNFPA Match fund to the tune of USD4.5million.
• Commit to move the National Family Planning budget line to a service-wide vote component of the appropriation act to ensure reliable funding and sustainability.
• Ensure sustainability and effective implementation of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Health Value Chain (PVAC) on local production of FP/SRH commodities and timely release of the earmarked Medical Relief Fund for family planning.
We also call on the 36 state governments plus Federal Capital Territory to;
• Create dedicated budget lines and prompt release of a minimum of 1% of the annual state health budgets to support Family Planning programmes in line with the Nigeria FP2030 commitments.
• Implement key recommendations from National Guidelines for State-Funded Procurement of FP commodities procurement and last mile distribution.
“I call on the Nigerian government to take advantage of the opportunity to benefit from UNFPA Match fund to the tune of USD4.5million and Primary Health Care funding to the tune of USD5million in line with the 2.1 disbursement link indicator of the Worlds Bank and Nigerian Government HOPE agreement, so that Nigerian women can have access to family planning commodities to improve their lives and promote health living” said Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, Coordinator of the Africa Health Budget Network.
