Nigeria’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined 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.
Dr. Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, announced the findings, attributing the decline to gradual gains in access to and use of family planning services nationwide.
Modern contraceptive use among currently married women rose modestly from 12% in 2018 to 15% in 2023, and satisfied demand for family planning increased to 37%. The Minister cautioned, however, that while encouraging, these improvements remain below the levels required for rapid socio-economic progress.
The NDHS report highlighted improvements in several areas of maternal and child health, including a significant drop in the under-five mortality rate from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 110 per 1,000 in 2024. Health service coverage also showed gains: antenatal coverage stands at 63%, skilled birth attendance at 46%, and postnatal coverage within two days after delivery rose from 38% in 2018 to 42% in 2024.
A major challenge identified was the neonatal mortality rate, which remained nearly stagnant, moving from 39 to 41 per 1,000 live births during the period. Dr. Salako stressed that more efforts are needed to reduce these neonatal deaths, which now account for about 40–45% of under-five mortality.
The Minister said the findings underscore urgent gaps requiring coordinated responses, and the Ministry is translating them into policy reforms through initiatives like the Maternal and Maternal Fatality Reduction Initiative and the Nigerian Child Survivor Act (2023–2025). These are designed to address challenges through better health investment targeting, improved coordination, and stronger community involvement.
Hon. Nasir Kwarra, the Executive Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), which implemented the survey, emphasized the NDHS as a vital instrument for understanding population trends and health indicators. He noted that the 2024 edition provides fresh insights when reliable evidence is greatly needed.
The successful survey implementation “reaffirmed that data is not merely a technical output but a public good that empowers evidence-based governance.” The 2024 NDHS is the sixth in the series since 1999 and covered 42,000 households nationwide during its fieldwork phase between December 1, 2023, and May 5, 2024.
