This report was updated in March 2024. The 2023 report can be found here.
The 2023 UN report on Trends in Maternal Mortality from 2000-2020 revealed that nearly 28.5% of global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria. The report further states that a woman in Nigeria has a 1 in 19 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum, whereas in the most developed countries, the lifetime risk is 1 in 4900.
The North East zone is reported to experience some of country’s worst MNH outcomes after suffering from ongoing conflict, primarily driven by Boko Haram. The insecurity has led to significant protection concerns, displacement, disrupted livelihoods, and persistent food insecurity. Nigeria’s 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan indicates that approximately 8.3 million people need humanitarian assistance in the North East region alone. Women and children represent 80% of the crisis-affected population.
This country profile – prepared by the EQUAL research consortium – outlines the state of MNH in Nigeria including the health system structures and challenges in delivering access to lifesaving MNH care, especially in the conflict affected settings.