NPC raises concerns over youths’ limited access to education, healthcare

National Population Commission (NPC) has raised concerns over the limited access to education and healthcare faced by Nigerian youths as many young people face multiple constraints ranging from limited access to quality education and healthcare, to unemployment, gender-based discrimination, and social marginalization.

Speaking at the commemoration of the 2025 World Population Day, the Chairman of the NPC, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, noted that these realities threaten to turn Nigeria’s potential demographic dividend into a demographic burden if left unaddressed.

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He said, “Our youthful and vibrant population has the potential to be a powerful driver of national development. However, to harness this promise, we must address the structural barriers that limit young people’s ability to make informed and voluntary decisions about their lives, livelihoods, and reproductive choices.”

Kwarra emphasized the importance of empowering young people with knowledge, supporting them with opportunities, and protecting their rights. “Empowering our youth is not a choice, it is an existential imperative,” he said. “It demands collective resolve, evidence-based action, and a steadfast commitment to justice and opportunity and youth investments.”

The NPC Chairman pointed out the Commission’s efforts to provide reliable demographic data for planning and policy, citing the revitalization of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, the implementation of a digital and transformative population and housing census, and the development of a National Geospatial Data Repository.

“We are working in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, and our valued development partners to advance the digital transformation of birth and death registration systems nationwide,” Hon. Kwarra said. “This real-time data system is already improving national planning for maternal and child health services, school enrolment, and social protection programmes.”

Kwarra commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its steadfast support in promoting reproductive health, strengthening demographic data systems, and advancing youth empowerment in Nigeria. “Their enduring partnership has been instrumental in enhancing our capacity to fulfill our mandate and in driving forward a shared vision of a future where no one is left behind,” he said.

The NPC Chairman called on stakeholders to work together to create a just and supportive environment that empowers young people to make informed decisions about their lives and reproductive choices.

“Let us work together to create a Nigeria where every young person has the tools, the freedom, and the support to create the life and the family they desire,” he said.

Also speaking, the UNFPA Nigeria Deputy Representative/OIC, Koessan Kuawu, called on the government and its partners to prioritize empowering young people to make informed choices about their reproductive lives.

Kuawu noted that the real “fertility crisis” is not about the number of children people have, but rather the lack of reproductive agency and the inability of young people to create families they desire.

“Financial insecurity, limited access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, and societal pressures often restrict their ability to make decisions about their bodies and futures”, he said.

Kuawu disclosed that in Nigeria, the unmet need for family planning among young people is significant, with 12.2% of those aged 15-19 years and 16.1% of those aged 20-24 years having an unmet need for family planning.

“This translates to only 15.0% of demand for family planning being satisfied by modern methods for aged 15-19 years old, and 30.5% for aged 20-24 years old.”

He, however, said UNFPA Nigeria is calling for investing in youth, providing secure jobs and sufficient income, comprehensive sexuality education, and fostering dialogue and collaboration between generations to address these challenges and create an environment where young people are supported, not blamed, for their fertility decisions, he said.

“The UNFPA Deputy Representative also called on the government to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, particularly for young people. Let’s create choices, not barriers, so they can thrive and build a hopeful future for themselves and generations to come.”

“UNFPA Nigeria is committed to supporting the government and people of Nigeria to strengthen national and sub-national health systems to deliver quality, comprehensive, and rights-based family planning information and services,” he said.