Teenage pregnancy remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, with northern states including Kebbi, Zamfara, and Kaduna recording the highest rates in the country.
This was highlighted in the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released in Abuja under the National Health Act (Nigeria, 2014). The report reviewed adolescent reproductive health trends nationwide and pointed to widening regional disparities.
According to the findings, about 32 per cent of girls aged 15–19 in Kebbi have been pregnant, while Zamfara and Kaduna each recorded rates of around 30 per cent. In contrast, states such as Lagos and Edo reported significantly lower figures of roughly three per cent.
Data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024 also showed sharp regional differences, reinforcing the need for targeted measures to improve reproductive health outcomes among adolescents.
The report noted that teenage pregnancy increases the likelihood of maternal and child illness and death, while also contributing to social challenges such as school dropout among girls in affected communities.
It further found that pregnancy rates drop considerably with higher levels of education. About 34 per cent of girls without formal schooling had experienced pregnancy, compared with only four per cent of those who had education beyond secondary school.
In response, the health sector expanded adolescent-focused interventions in 2025 to improve reproductive health services and advance progress toward Universal Health Coverage. These efforts included strengthening primary healthcare systems and expanding community outreach programmes.
Investments were also made to improve adolescent-friendly services at primary healthcare facilities, including family planning, HIV prevention, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, to ensure teenagers have better access to care.
Community health workers were deployed to offer counselling and selected family planning services, helping adolescents in remote communities access reproductive health information and support alongside facility-based care.
The report added that water, sanitation, and hygiene programmes in schools and communities were strengthened to enhance the overall well-being of young people and reduce preventable infections.
Progress was also recorded in menstrual hygiene management. About 95 per cent of adolescent girls reported they could wash and change privately at home, while 94 per cent said they use appropriate menstrual materials.
However, the report raised concerns about rising mental health challenges and substance abuse among adolescents. It highlighted increasing use of alcohol and drugs, including tramadol and cannabis, particularly among secondary school students.
Adolescents and young people aged 10–24 account for about 32 per cent of Nigeria’s population and bear a significant share of mental health conditions, especially depression and anxiety.
