When Aisha Abdullahi, a 32-year-old mother of five from Gagi community in Sokoto South Local Government Area, first heard about family planning, her instinct was to reject it, thinking that it was only for women who didn’t want children or a way of disobeying nature.
By Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto
Today, Aisha is a peer educator in her community, leading women’s groups and health talks, using her story to challenge harmful myths and empower others. “Family planning gave me back my health, my strength, and my voice. Now I can support my children and even run a small business,” she said.
Her transformation reflects a quiet revolution taking place across Sokoto, a state where reproductive health conversations were once cloaked in silence, suspicion, and stigma.
That reality is shifting, and at its core are the voices of women like Aisha, the support of traditional leaders, and the persistent work of organizations The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and the Development Communications Network (DevComs).
Progress by the numbers
Sokoto State has a current population of about 5.2 million people and historically has been among the least-served states in terms of reproductive health. But sustained advocacy and strategic programming have produced impressive gains.
The state TCI program manager, Dr. Bello Abubakar Kilgori, said the state has noticed a great shift in the acceptance of family planning. As a result, the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has risen from 2.3 percent to 6 percent within the last three years.
According to him, modern contraceptive use has climbed from 2.1 to 6.9 percent, which is a more than threefold increase.
Also according to the National Demographic Health Survey, the rate of unmet need for family planning has dropped significantly from 13 to 10.7 percent, which has changed the narrative around maternal mortality.
While the state was previously estimated to have recorded 15 deaths per 1,000 live births, the statistics are gradually declining due to improved birth spacing and postpartum family planning interventions.
These improvements are occurring within a network of primary health centers providing family planning services statewide.
In the past, family planning struggled to gain traction in the state due to limited visibility and a near-total absence in state budget conversations. Advocacy efforts were minimal, and the issue lacked a dedicated voice at policymaking tables.
Today, the narrative is shifting, as civil society groups are actively engaging, media platforms are amplifying the conversation, and for the first time, the Sokoto State Government is making explicit budgetary allocations to support family planning programs, which is a significant policy milestone in the region’s reproductive health landscape.
Turning the tide on stigma
A key driver of this transformation is the normalization of family planning in public spaces, even within traditionally conservative communities.
“Before now, people used to hide it, but with the recent development at weddings and women’s gatherings, you will hear women advising others to go and take a method,” said Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, Sarkin Yakin Gagi, a vocal traditional leader and advocate of reproductive health.
“We now talk about family planning in the mosque. It is no longer a taboo subject.”
He emphasized the shift from negative traditional and cultural beliefs to community-led endorsement. The movement’s new slogan— “Pregnancy by choice, not by accident”—has gained traction across the state.
Amina Bala, a community health extension worker at Arkilla Primary Health Centre, said the demand for contraceptive services has grown steadily. “We now have women coming in with their husbands. Others return with their sisters and neighbors. The stigma is fading,” she said.
She attributed media enlightenment and the vocal support of respected traditional and religious leaders as major factors driving the shift.
The amplifiers
Through the work of DevComs and TCI, trained journalists have become pivotal storytellers in changing mindsets. Radio programs now feature religious scholars, FP users, nurses, and traditional rulers discussing the health and economic benefits of family planning.
Meanwhile, more men are showing up, not just at clinics with their wives, but also as vocal supporters.
Muktar Ibrahim, a tailor in Tudun Wada area of Sokoto, now proudly accompanies his wife to the health centre, unlike before when he thought it was none of his business. “After listening to a radio program, I realized how it improved our home and helped us plan better.”
“We don’t just talk about policy; we tell real stories. That is how people begin to relate and change takes root,” said the Sokoto virtual focal person of the TCI, Musa Ubandawaki.
He said journalists across the state now produce regular publications, opening up space for people to ask questions, challenge misconceptions, and seek services without shame.
Empowering women, saving lives
Experts emphasize that this is not just about data, but about real-life impact. According to Zulaiha Aminu, a midwife at Gidan Dahala PHC, the results are clear indicators of success as the PHC recorded fewer high-risk pregnancies, reduced maternal and infant deaths, and empowered women who now pursue economic activities. She explained that Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) is now routinely offered to new mothers to help space their next pregnancy and allow them to recover.
She said gone are the days when women got pregnant again within weeks of childbirth. According to her, with PPFP, mothers now have time to rest, bond with their babies, and stay healthy before conceiving.
“In the past, I was always tired and sick. I don’t plan my pregnancies. Now, I can rest, work in my shop, and give attention to my children,” Aisha Abdullahi recalled.
A movement finds its voice
From Silame LGA to Tambuwal, Dange to Sifawa, Sokoto North to South, family planning is now part of household conversations, public sermons, and political agendas. A topic once whispered is now loudly championed.
We have repositioned family planning as not just a woman’s issue but a family issue, supported by religion and local culture. “Spacing your children is a way to protect the mother and give every child a better chance,” said Gagi.
He said denying a woman access to family planning is denying her a fundamental human right, emphasizing that even a woman planning to go on Hajj must ensure she is not pregnant, highlighting how family planning goes beyond health—it is also about dignity and agency.
His statement echoes growing recognition that family planning is not only a health issue, but a development and rights issue, especially in communities where large family sizes often stretch economic and social limits.
Change is stirring
From 2024 to date, a substantial increase in new acceptors and consistent users of family planning services has been recorded in Sokoto, coinciding with expanded access, including adolescents and deeper community engagement across the state.
Dr. Kilgori highlighted a surge in family planning acceptance, noting that over 90% of service demand is now met, with growing participation from couples, especially among adolescents and young families.
At Asara Primary Healthcare Centre in rural Gwadabawa, data published in October in TheWill newspaper, showed 149 clients accessing services, with 126 as first-time users, reporting a mix of injections, implants, condoms, and IUDs.
A growing network of trainers and community resource groups has been mobilized, alongside significant investment in service provider capacity, and over 587 public health facilities now offer family planning services statewide.
Saidu Mainasara, a health worker in Sokoto, sees these efforts as driven by TCI/DevComs as interconnecting the pieces of a successful strategy of creating an enabling environment where demand is met with accessibility.
Challenges remain
Despite the visible gains, gaps remain. Some communities still report inadequate supply of commodities, poor documentation, and lack of youth-friendly services. The culture of secrecy also lingers, where long-term FP users hesitate to admit usage publicly.
“We are not after names, but numbers,” said Dr. Kilgori. “If women don’t report usage, we can’t plan effectively. Documentation and data accuracy remain a challenge.”
Nonetheless, the shift is undeniable. From less than 3 percent CPR in the past to over 6.9 percent modern method use today, the state is on a promising path, thanks to TCI/DevComs grassroots mobilization, faith-based advocacy, and media commitment.
Experts say the way forward includes expanding digital and mobile health platforms, sustained community education, and stronger integration of services into routine care.
