Lagos: Continued investment, political will, and community-driven action are critical to promoting access to Family Planning (FP) services and safe motherhood across the country, the Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS) says. The Project Lead, DEVCOMS, Mr. Onche Odeh, made the assertion in commemoration of the 2025 Motherhood Day in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the day, celebrated annually on April 11, aims to raise awareness about maternal health, with the 2025 theme being ‘Healthy Beginnings; Hopeful Futures’. Odeh emphasized the need for increased efforts to ensure that family planning services reach every woman, man, and young person in need, regardless of their location. He expressed concern over the annual loss of thousands of women to pregnancy-related complications in Nigeria, highlighting that many of these deaths are preventable through proper spacing and voluntary family planning.
Odeh noted that as the world commemorates the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day, Nigeria celebrates a quiet but powerful revolution safeguarding the lives of mothers and children through increased access to FP and childbirth spacing services across the country. He pointed out that states across Nigeria are making visible progress in translating family planning commitments into action. This progress is driven by government leadership, community engagement, youth-centred services, and strategic partnerships, which are having a positive impact.
He further explained that health facilities are experiencing increased client trust, and local governments are mobilizing resources to reach more communities. Advocacy efforts are reshaping public perceptions, particularly through youth engagement, male involvement, and outreach to underserved populations. Even in complex humanitarian settings, family planning is being integrated with maternal health services to ensure continuity of care. However, despite these encouraging gains, Odeh acknowledged that much more remains to be done, as progress is not yet uniform and gaps in access, quality, and equity persist.
The Country Team Lead for The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Nigeria, Dr. Taiwo Johnson, highlighted that TCI is at the heart of this progress. Johnson described the initiative as a proven model that empowers local governments to sustainably scale reproductive health solutions. Launched in 2017, TCI aims to transition the gains of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) into a platform that enables state governments to take ownership, scale up proven interventions, and drive impact across more states. The initiative now has an expanded reach, including both urban and underserved rural areas.
Johnson explained that in partnership with over a dozen state governments, TCI is making motherhood safer, families healthier, and futures brighter. He emphasized that TCI’s impact demonstrates that when women have access to safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate FP services, maternal mortality decreases, newborn outcomes improve, and families thrive. He concluded by stating that safe motherhood begins with informed choices, timely access to family planning, and community support for women throughout their reproductive journey, marking a bold move from awareness to action in Nigeria.