Only eight of Nigeria’s 36 states have met the global benchmark for women’s participation in decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, according to new data from the 2023–24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The findings, released by civic-tech group Invictus Africa, show that Rivers, Edo, and Delta lead with over 70% of women making autonomous reproductive decisions, while Kebbi, Sokoto, and Niger recorded the lowest participation, all below 6%.
Invictus Africa said the states meeting the minimum 65% threshold—set under the Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) framework—reflect progress in promoting women’s health rights, but warned that most states remain far behind.
“No Nigerian state has yet met the national goal of cutting the unmet need for family planning to 10% by 2025,” said Adenike Adeoye, the organisation’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Lead, during the 2025 Gatefield Health Summit in Abuja.
The NDHS data also reveal that only 29% of married Nigerian women aged 15–49 can make informed choices about sexual relations, contraceptive use, and healthcare—an indicator linked to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.6.1 on women’s autonomy.
Education and income remain key determinants: just 9% of women without formal education report full decision-making power, compared with 58% among those with higher education and wealthier households.
Analysts say the figures highlight persistent socio-cultural and economic barriers limiting women’s reproductive rights across much of Nigeria.