Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, warned that the country contributes roughly 14 % of all maternal deaths worldwide. He made the remark at the 2025 Joint Annual Review Meeting in Abuja, themed “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing Nigeria’s Health Sector to Light.” While acknowledging some progress, Dr. Salako stressed that improvements are not keeping pace with Nigeria’s rapidly growing population and limited resources.
Citing preliminary findings from the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, he reported that the maternal mortality ratio fell to 512 deaths per 100,000 live births from 576 in 2018. Under‑five mortality also declined to 110 deaths per 1,000 live births from 132, and neonatal mortality is now 41 per 1,000 live births. Other positive trends include an increase in skilled birth attendance from 43 % to 53 %, full immunisation coverage rising from 31 % to 39 %, and modern contraceptive use among married women reaching 20 %.
Despite these encouraging figures, Dr. Salako emphasized that much work remains. Many Nigerian women still die during childbirth, too many children fail to reach their fifth birthday, and numerous families struggle with medical expenses. Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the government is implementing the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen and transform the healthcare system. The ministry is partnering with state and local governments, development partners, and civil society to accelerate progress and deliver a health system that serves all Nigerians.
The minister called on stakeholders to intensify efforts toward building a reliable, sustainable healthcare system nationwide. He reaffirmed plans to scale up health financing, hire more healthcare workers, and expand access to health insurance, aiming to reduce Nigeria’s share of global maternal deaths and improve overall health outcomes for its citizens.
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