Reported by: Agande Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
Nigeria has officially launched the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), marking another milestone in the country’s commitment to evidence-based governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda — an agenda that places health at the core of national development.
The survey, jointly implemented by the National Population Commission in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, received technical support from ICF through The DHS Program and financial assistance from USAID, UNFPA, UNICEF, The Global Fund, and the World Health Organization. The 2024 NDHS is described as the most comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s population and health indicators to date, offering valuable insights for planning and policy-making.
Beyond the data, the survey tells a story of measurable progress, remaining challenges, and the promise of a stronger, fairer health system if ongoing reforms are sustained. The findings show that Nigeria’s health reforms are beginning to yield results in key areas such as maternal and child health, family planning, and disease prevention. The total fertility rate has declined to 4.8 children per woman, reflecting gradual progress in improving access to family planning. More women now report their needs for modern contraceptives being met, an indication that reproductive health investments are taking root across communities.
In the area of maternal health, skilled birth attendance has increased to 46 percent, while postnatal care coverage improved to 43 percent. The rate of under-five mortality continues to decline, suggesting that interventions in immunization, nutrition, and access to basic healthcare are having real impact. Immunization coverage also improved, with 39 percent of children aged between twelve and twenty-three months now fully vaccinated. Nearly six in ten households reportedly own insecticide-treated nets, reflecting progress in malaria prevention campaigns and the ongoing revitalization of primary healthcare services under the Renewed Hope reforms.
However, the NDHS also highlights serious gaps that demand urgent attention. Child stunting remains unacceptably high at about 40 percent, showing that nutrition insecurity and chronic malnutrition still pose major threats to child development and national productivity. Antenatal care coverage from skilled providers declined slightly to 63 percent, and one in five women still reports an unmet need for family planning. These challenges reveal that while access to healthcare is improving, issues of quality, equity, and reach persist, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The Federal Government has emphasized that these gaps reaffirm the need to deepen collaboration across sectors such as health, agriculture, education, water and sanitation, and social protection, to address the structural causes of poor health outcomes. For the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NDHS serves as a compass for reform rather than an endpoint. The data will guide the next phase of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme, the Primary Health Care Under One Roof agenda, and the RMNCAEH+N Strategy, all of which form the operational backbone of Nigeria’s ongoing health transformation.
This information was made known by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on October 17, 2025, who reaffirmed that the Tinubu administration remains committed to translating data into real policies that improve the quality of life for Nigerians.
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