Northern Nigeria Faces Alarming Surge in Teenage Pregnancies

By Daniel Peters.

A disturbing public health trend is unfolding in Northern Nigeria as new findings showed that the region records the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the country, raising concerns among health experts and policymakers about the future of adolescent girls.

According to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released in Abuja under the National Health Act (2014), northern states such as Kebbi, Zamfara and Kaduna have the highest prevalence of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 15 to 19.

The report further revealed that 32 per cent of teenage girls in Kebbi have experienced pregnancy, the highest in the country, while Zamfara and Kaduna recorded 30 per cent each, a stark contrast to southern states such as Lagos and Edo, where the figure stands at about three per cent.

The findings, based on data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024, highlight a widening regional disparity and underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address adolescent reproductive health challenges across the country.

Health experts warned that teenage pregnancy significantly increases the risk of maternal and child mortality and exposes young girls to long-term social and economic disadvantages.

The report noted that many affected girls were forced to abandon their education, thereby limiting their opportunities and deepening cycles of poverty in already vulnerable communities.

Our correspondent reports that that one of the most striking revelations of the report is the strong link between education and teenage pregnancy.

It found that pregnancy rates are highest among girls with no formal education, where the prevalence stands at 34 per cent, compared to just four per cent among girls who attained education beyond secondary school.

The report stressed that improving access to education remains one of the most effective ways of protecting adolescent girls from early pregnancy and its associated health and social consequences.

In response to the growing concern, the 2025 health sector initiatives have expanded adolescent-focused interventions aimed at improving reproductive health outcomes and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.

These efforts include strengthening primary healthcare services, expanding community outreach programmes and providing adolescent-friendly health services such as family planning, HIV prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Community health workers have also been mobilised to provide counselling and family planning services, particularly in remote and underserved areas where access to healthcare information and services remains limited.

The report further noted improvements in adolescent welfare programmes, including enhanced water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives in schools and communities, which are designed to create healthier environments for young people.

It also highlighted progress in menstrual hygiene management, with 95 per cent of adolescent girls reporting that they could wash and change privately at home, while 94 per cent said they use appropriate menstrual materials.

Despite these gains, health experts say the rising rate of teenage pregnancy in parts of Northern Nigeria remains a ticking social and public health crisis that demands urgent attention from government, community leaders, and development partners.

Without decisive intervention, observers warned that thousands of young girls could face a future defined by interrupted education, poor health outcomes and limited economic prospects.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.