The Integrated Community Listening Survey conducted by Nigeria Health Watch has uncovered persistent challenges limiting access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), especially among youth and rural populations across the country.
Speaking at the National Policy Dialogue on Improving Adolescent Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services held Thursday in Abuja, Ms Anwuli Nwankwo, Knowledge Management Lead at Nigeria Health Watch, presented the survey findings.
The dialogue, themed “Improving Adolescent Access to Quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services”, was organised by Nigeria Health Watch in collaboration with its partners.
Nwankwo explained that the survey, conducted between March and April 2025, covered six states—Lagos, Ebonyi, Cross River, Kano, Niger, and Borno—representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Despite ongoing investments and national commitments to SRHR, she said significant access barriers remain.
“The cross-sectional study involved 414 participants and aimed to uncover the realities behind the stagnation in Nigeria’s reproductive health progress,” she said.
According to the findings, 50 per cent of respondents said they had access to SRHR services, while the other 50 per cent did not. Younger respondents, especially those aged 18 to 34, reported greater challenges in accessing services.
Nwankwo noted that although primary healthcare centres served as the main point of contact for most people, many of these facilities could not provide comprehensive SRHR services.
She identified the key barriers as cultural beliefs, lack of awareness, distance to healthcare facilities, high costs, limited funding, and a shortage of qualified health workers.
“Among respondents aged 35 to 54, these challenges were even more pronounced,” she said.
While 81 per cent of participants reported no barriers to access, the remaining 19 per cent cited mainly socio-cultural and informational obstacles—highlighting systemic issues that disproportionately affect young people.
The report further linked these barriers to adverse outcomes including maternal and infant mortality, unintended pregnancies, and gaps in policy implementation.
“There is an urgent need for a more targeted and culturally sensitive approach,” Nwankwo added.
She recommended that the government and development partners invest in awareness campaigns, community engagement, and stronger healthcare systems. She also called for the use of mobile health platforms to improve outreach in underserved areas.
Nwankwo urged a reduction in the economic burden that prevents many individuals from accessing essential reproductive health services and stressed the importance of education campaigns tailored to local communities.
Despite the valuable insights, she acknowledged the study’s limitations, including the lack of qualitative depth and the absence of health provider perspectives.
“We identified a lack of awareness as a common barrier, but we couldn’t fully explore the root causes. Is it due to weak public campaigns or restrictions from community gatekeepers?” she queried.
The National Policy Dialogue also aims to tackle the country’s high adolescent fertility rate, which stands at 117 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19, and the low uptake of modern contraceptives among sexually active, unmarried adolescent girls—currently just 7.8 per cent.
