Unsafe abortions remain a significant public health issue in Nigeria, contributing to high maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Despite legal restrictions, induced abortion is quite common, with an estimated 1.25 million abortions performed in 2012. Although Nigeria ratified the Maputo Protocol, an agreement among African Union countries that safeguards the reproductive rights of women and girls, abortion remains legal only to save a woman’s life. With an estimated abortion rate of 33 abortions per 1,000 women, research by the Guttmacher Institute shows that most of these abortions are performed clandestinely and unsafely. In 2023, the contraceptive prevalence rate in Nigeria was a mere 16%, indicating a very low use of contraception.

Key Statistics

• About 610,000 unsafe abortions are carried out annually in Nigeria. 
• An estimated 285,000 women and girls experience complications form unsafe abortions in Nigeria annually.
• About 20,000 people die from complications arising from unsafe abortions annually in Nigeria.
• Half of these 20,000 people who die from complications from unsafe abortion are adolescent girls.
• Unsafe abortions are a major contributor to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality ratio which is among the highest in the world (1500 women per 100,000 births).
• Only 16% of women of reproductive age use any form of contraception, with even fewer using modern methods with success rates.
• 28 out of every 100 pregnancies in Nigeria are unintended and 48% of these pregnancies end in induced abortion.
• While women of all ages withing the reproductive age gap and socio-economic class make up the demographic of women who have abortions yearly, women aged 15 – 19, women who have no educational background and women in the poorest communities are significantly more likely to have the most unsafe abortions according to research.
• 72% of deaths among girls below the age of 19 are from unsafe abortion complications.

Legal and Policy Context

• Legal Framework: This current legal framework on abortion in Nigeria is based on colonial-era laws and has not been significantly updated. Women who undergo illegal abortions and those who perform them face harsh penalties including imprisonment.
• Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) Guidelines: These comprehensive guidelines for the safe termination of pregnancy (STOP) were introduced to standardize medical practices, provide clarity within the existing national legal framework by specifying conditions under which abortions are permissible to avoid legal ambiguities and ensure that healthcare providers operate within the law to reduce preventable maternal deaths. While this does not necessarily loosen the restrictive laws, it expands and explains the situations where legal abortion may be permitted, i.e incidences that qualify as “saving the woman’s life”.
• The Maputo Protocol: As a signatory to international charter agreements like the Maputo Protocol, Nigeria is supposed to belong to a group of countries that advocate for the protection of women’s reproductive rights, including access to safe abortion under specific circumstance. It is not yet clear where Nigeria stands on this in implementation.

Policy Recommendations

1. Legal Reform: Amend existing laws to expand the conditions under which safe abortion is permitted, including cases of rape, incest, and severe fetal anomalies.
2. Access to Contraception: Increase access to and education about modern contraceptive methods to prevent unintended pregnancies.
3. Comprehensive Sexual Education: Implement nationwide programs to educate young people about sexual and reproductive health.
4. Healthcare Provider Training: Train healthcare providers to offer safe abortion services and post-abortion care.
5. Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch campaigns to reduce stigma and inform the public about the importance of safe abortion services and reproductive rights.

Where Empathy Comes In: So many people find it hard to relate with women who seek and procure abortions till these situations hit close to home. With members of the society developing an empathetic outlook to the general plight of women as the reproductive scapegoats, being the bearers of children even when they are victims of abuse and their will is taken away, we can begin a journey of understanding, a change of perception and behavioural patterns for the better and a larger community where women and girls feel safe and free to make the right choices for their bodies.

Conclusion

According to the Direct of International Research at the Guttmacher Institute Dr. Akinrinsola Bankole, abortion is not only common in Nigeria regardless of how much of a taboo topic it seems, but also a pressing public health concern and an issue of social inequity.  Addressing the issue of unsafe abortions in Nigeria requires a multifaceted approach that includes legal reform, improved access to contraception, comprehensive sexual education, and public awareness campaigns. This multifaceted approach requires the hands of ALL STAKEHOLDERS on deck.  By pushing for the implementation of  needed changes, Nigeria can significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve the overall health and well-being of its women.

_References

_{Family Planning 2030. (n.d.). Resources: Incidence of Abortion in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.fp2030.org/resources/resources-incidence-abortion-nigeria}

_{Guttmacher Institute. (2015, November 4). Despite Being Highly Restricted, Abortion Is Common in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2015/despite-being-highly-restricted-abortion-common-nigeria}

_{Statista. (2023). Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate Among Women in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268152/modern-contraceptive-prevalence-rate-among-women-in-nigeria/}

_{Okonofua, F. E., Odimegwu, C., Ajabor, H., Daru, P. H., & Johnson, A. (1999). Assessing the Prevalence and Determinants of Unwanted Pregnancy and Induced Abortion in Nigeria. Studies in Family Planning, 30(1), 67-77. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1169586/}

_{Bell, S. O., Omoluabi, E., OlaOlorun, F., Shankar, M., & Moreau, C. (2020). Inequities in the Incidence and Safety of Abortion in Nigeria. BMJ Global Health, 5(1), e001814. Retrieved from https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001814}

_{Love Matters Nigeria. (2024, August 16). Understand the Guidelines for Safe Termination of Pregnancy Adopted in Ogun State in 7 Points. Retrieved from https://lovematters.ng/2024/08/16/understand-the-guidelines-for-safe-termination-of-pregnancy-adopted-in-ogun-state-in-7-points/}

_{Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020). (2020, March 18). Abortion Survey Results: Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.pmadata.org/sites/default/files/data_product_results/NG-AbortionModule-Brief-v2-2020-03-18.pdf}