UNICEF earmarks $1bn to tackle teenage pregnancy in Nigeria

The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), says it has voted $1 billion in an effort to tackle teenage pregnancy in Nigeria for the next five years, as it lamented the prevailing increase in the number of adolescent children becoming mothers before the age of 18 years.

Chief of Health at UNICEF Nigeria, Eduardo Celades, who disclosed this during a stakeholders forum on Adolescent and Youths Health Policies in Africa on Monday in Abuja, called for immediate and comprehensive intervention by the governments at all levels.

At the forum which had the theme: “Fostering International Partnerships to Contribute to Adolescents’ and Youths’ Health in Nigeria,” Celades said the crisis affecting adolescents was beyond substance abuse, encompassing issues like insecurity, mental health, malnutrition, and climate change.

“We are facing a massive crisis affecting our adolescent population. One in 10 girls in Nigeria is projected to become a mother before the age of 18, with a disproportionate impact in the North Central and North-West regions, where 50 per cent of young girls, particularly in states like Bauchi and Gombe, are expected to have a child by the age of 18,” he note

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“Half of adolescent girls are unlikely to complete secondary school, and a staggering 43 per cent are already married. Of these, a significant portion has partners older than them, impacting their decision-making autonomy.

“In our analysis of the next five years’ strategy, adolescent issues were only mentioned 14 times in nearly 100 pages. This oversight has prompted a reevaluation, and UNICEF, along with the UN, has committed a $1bn investment in Nigeria over the next five years.

“In collaboration with university students, we are working on innovative approaches to enhance vaccine coverage. We believe that by empowering young people, we can drive meaningful results. Additionally, addressing mental health concerns among the youth, affecting 10 per cent is a priority in our agenda,” he stated.

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