Nigeria requires N720bn additional funding to reduce maternal and newborn deaths

Speaking at a maternal health roundtable organized by Nigeria Health Watch in Abuja, Dr. Adeyanju stated that Nigeria's 2025 National Annual Operational Plan for the health sector is estimated at N3.68tn, with N1.7tn from government funding and N1.25tn from development partners, leaving a N720bn financing gap. Stakeholders called for increased domestic investment in maternal and newborn healthcare, warning that inadequate financing, poor budget implementation, and weak accountability contribute to high mortality rates. Nigeria faces one of the world's highest maternal and neonatal mortality burdens, recording over 572 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 41 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births.

The Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, launched in 2024, aims to reduce maternal mortality by 30% and neonatal mortality by 20% by 2027, focusing on 172 priority Local Government Areas. Dr. Adeyanju identified delays in seeking and receiving healthcare, and poor coordination as major contributing factors. Dr. Biobele Davidson, Strategic Health Systems Lead at BudgIT Foundation, noted that Nigeria accounts for 19-20% of global maternal deaths, with approximately 82,000 Nigerian women dying annually from preventable pregn