In Nigeria, family planning is often considered a woman’s responsibility, and this gendered perception continues to shape reproductive health decisions across the country.

While modern contraceptive methods have the potential to ease population growth, improve maternal health, and reduce poverty, many Nigerian men remain sceptical or outright resistant to family planning.

Despite efforts by health organisations, the uptake of family planning remains relatively low, particularly among married women in Northern Nigeria.

According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, the contraceptive prevalence rate among married women is just 17 per cent, with even lower rates in rural areas. Experts say this slow progress can be largely attributed to male opposition.

What exactly drives this resistance? To understand the roots of this opposition, one must explore a web of cultural, religious, social, economic, and psychological factors.

Nigeria’s population surge

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is experiencing an explosive population surge that poses significant challenges for sustainable development.

According to the World Bank, Nigeria’s population, currently estimated at over 220 million, is projected to surpass 377 million by 2050, making it the third most populous country in the world after India and China.

This demographic trajectory, while offering potential in human capital, also presents critical risks if not matched with commensurate investments in healthcare, education, and economic infrastructure.

Among the most vulnerable to the consequences of unchecked population growth are rural communities, where access to reproductive health services remains limited and cultural resistance to family planning is often deeply entrenched.

The scale

According to data from the United Nations Population Fund, nearly 44 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 15.

The country’s fertility rate stands at approximately 5.3 births per woman, with rural areas often recording higher rates due to limited contraceptive use and poor access to maternal health services.

This creates pressure on local resources, education systems, and employment opportunities.

UNICEF Nigeria has warned that unless urgent steps are taken to manage population growth through voluntary family planning, the country risks exacerbating poverty, food insecurity, and healthcare shortfalls.

Rural communities bear the brunt of Nigeria’s population boom. In states such as Niger, Zamfara, and Kebbi, large families are common, often viewed as a sign of wealth or divine blessing. In many of these areas, women have little say in reproductive decisions, with patriarchal norms dominating household choices.

Mrs Grace Tanko, a midwife serving in the FCT, noted that many rural women are not aware of modern contraceptive methods.

“In many villages, family planning is still seen as a foreign concept, or worse, as an attempt to reduce the African population,” she noted. “Some women want to space or limit births but are afraid of their husbands or community backlash.”

Cultural norms, patriarchy

Nigeria’s patriarchal society bestows significant decision-making power on men, especially in the family unit.

According to a public health physician, Dr Chinyere Mbachu, “In many homes, men make all major decisions, including those regarding reproduction.”

In some ethnic groups, a man’s wealth and status are measured by the number of children he has. Among the Hausa and Fulani in the North, and even among parts of the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, large families are seen as a sign of strength, blessing, and social security.

Anthropologist Mercy Ifijeh explains that many men believe that children are assets: labour on farms, inheritors of lineage, and caretakers in old age.

“This belief fuels resistance to family planning, which is seen as limiting blessings,” she added.

Misinformation, fear of side effects

Another key reason for male resistance is the widespread misinformation about contraceptives. “There is a common myth among men that family planning will make their wives promiscuous or infertile,” says Dr Ifeoma Ezike, a physician.

Some men also fear that hormonal contraceptives could cause long-term health complications. While minor side effects like weight gain or mood changes can occur, they are usually manageable.

Yet, due to inadequate counselling and education, these fears often go unchallenged.

A 2020 study published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine showed that over 45 per cent of Nigerian men surveyed believed that family planning leads to permanent infertility. This false belief fuels hostility.

Masculinity, sexual control

For some men, resisting family planning is about control over sex, reproduction, and their partners. 

“There’s this idea that if a woman is on birth control, she won’t fear getting pregnant and will be more likely to cheat,” says counsellor Ngozi Amadi, of the Women’s Rights and Health Project in Lagos.

This idea reflects deep-rooted insecurities about trust and fidelity, often tied to traditional gender roles.

In a society where many women rely economically on their husbands, men often feel threatened by anything that might give women more autonomy over their bodies.

Low male involvement in reproductive health

Despite being key decision-makers, many Nigerian men are not actively involved in family planning education.

Mbachu said, “Most campaigns are targeted at women, leaving men feeling excluded and suspicious.”

Only a few clinics have male-friendly reproductive health services. Male-focused education, either through community meetings or faith-based outreach, remains inadequate.

Economic considerations, poverty

Ironically, while large families are often pursued for economic reasons, they also strain limited household resources.

Yet the idea that more children equate to more income is persistent.

Economist Oladayo Adenubi notes, “In agrarian societies, children are seen as free labour. The idea is that you produce more children to help with farming, street trading, and other informal jobs.”

Family planning is wrongly seen as a luxury for the elite, rather than a tool for poverty reduction.

According to a 2022 report by the World Bank, countries with higher contraceptive prevalence generally have stronger maternal health indices and lower child mortality rates.

What some Nigerian men are saying

Some men have begun to speak out in favour of family planning.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Lagos-based tailor Abdulrahman Adeyemo shared, “After our fourth child, I told my wife to go for family planning. We couldn’t keep up with school fees and rent.”

Likewise, a teacher in Anambra, Samuel Uzo, revealed, “I used to be against it. But my wife had back-to-back pregnancies. We agreed on the implant, and our lives are better now.”

However, several others said family planning makes women promiscuous.

A 42-year-old mechanic in Owerri, Imo State Chukwudi Dimkpa, insists he will never allow his wife to take contraceptives.

“Once a woman knows she can’t get pregnant, she starts misbehaving. Before you know it, she’ll be sleeping around because there’s no consequence,” he said.

Similarly, a trader in Kaduna, Mallam Idris, who spoke to our correspondent over the telephone, viewed contraception as a slippery slope.

“Islam says children are a blessing. But also, when a woman doesn’t fear pregnancy, she can forget her boundaries.”

In Lagos, a retired civil servant, Mr David Abayomi, sees birth control as an invitation to marital discord.

“You want your wife to be faithful, not to start feeling too free. If she’s not scared of getting pregnant, she may start experimenting. You don’t know these women,” he said in an interview with Sunday PUNCH.

Medics call for inclusive campaigns

Health experts argue that more inclusive, culturally sensitive campaigns are crucial to change the narrative.

According to Dr Amaka Eze of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, “Men need to see family planning as beneficial to the family, not as a threat to masculinity.”

NURHI and other NGOs have begun organising couple-centred clinics where both partners receive counselling.

Faith-based organisations are also stepping in, like the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria, which educates imams on medically acceptable forms of contraception.

Religious beliefs, doctrines

Religion plays a huge role in shaping attitudes toward contraception. In the North, where Islam predominates, some clerics preach that family planning interferes with divine will.

For example, a prominent Islamic cleric in Kano State, Sheik Ibrahim Khalil, once stated in a public sermon that “family planning encourages moral laxity and goes against the teachings of Islam.”

However, there are divergent views within the Islamic community. Some progressive scholars refer to the Prophet Muhammad’s allowance of ‘azl (coitus interruptus) as implicit approval of family planning under specific conditions. International Islamic authorities such as the Islamic Fiqh Academy, under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have issued fatwas permitting contraception, provided both spouses consent and no harm is caused.

Despite these theological flexibilities, many Muslim-majority states in Nigeria remain unreceptive, partly due to local clerics’ influence and the association of family planning with Western liberalism and perceived moral decay.

Christian views on family planning vary widely depending on denomination. The Roman Catholic Church maintains a firm stance against artificial birth control, promoting Natural Family Planning instead.

The Church’s teachings, based on the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, assert that procreation must remain open in every sexual act.

Bishop Lucius Ugorji of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria reaffirmed this view during a conference in Enugu, stating, “The use of contraceptives undermines the sanctity of human life and marriage.”

Pentecostal and Evangelical churches present a more varied picture. While some pastors endorse contraceptive use as a means of responsible parenting, others strongly oppose it.

Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church in Lagos, for instance, has spoken against contraceptives, associating them with promiscuity.

Yet there are prominent Christian voices in support. Reverend Father Anselm Adodo, a Benedictine monk and pharmacist, has written extensively on the importance of family planning to reduce maternal mortality and improve the quality of life.

“They say, ‘Why should you control what God has destined?”, says Reverend Godwin Okoh of Lagos.

This misunderstanding of religious texts has led many men to reject family planning.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, if all Nigerian women had access to modern contraceptive methods, unintended pregnancies would drop by 85 per cent, significantly reducing maternal and infant mortality.

For rural dwellers, this could mean fewer unsafe abortions, improved maternal health, and increased opportunities for women to participate in economic activities.

Policy, legal landscape

Contrary to popular belief, there is no law in Nigeria that limits the number of children a family may have.

However, several government policies encourage family planning as a means of achieving sustainable development.

The National Population Policy, revised in 2004 and again in 2019, promotes access to reproductive health services and aims to reduce fertility rates through voluntary methods.

Despite these efforts, implementation remains weak, particularly in rural regions.

Many local governments lack the infrastructure, trained personnel, and consistent funding to provide quality family planning services.

To address Nigeria’s population challenge, especially in underserved areas, a multipronged approach is essential.

Experts have advised that the government and NGOs invest in rural health centres and mobile outreach to deliver family planning tools and education.

Religious and traditional leaders have also been called upon to dispel myths and encourage dialogue.

[Punch]