Teenage Pregnancy Highest In Northern Nigeria — State of Health of the Nation

 TEENAGE pregnancy remains a serious public health challenge in Nigeria, with northern states such as Kebbi, Zamfara and Kaduna recording the highest rates.

This is according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released on Sunday in Abuja and produced under the National Health Act (2014).

It highlighted adolescent reproductive health trended nationwide and revealed emerging regio

nal disparities.

It showed that 32 percent of girls aged 15-19 in Kebbi had been pregnant, followed by Zamfara and Kaduna at 30 percent each, while Lagos and Edo recorded about three percent.

The findings, drawn from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024, revealed sharp regional differences and underlined the need for targeted interventions to improve adolescent reproductive health outcomes across Nigeria.

According to the report, teenage pregnancy increases risks of maternal and child morbidity and mortality, while also contributing to social challenges such as school dropout among adolescent girls in high-risk states.

It noted that pregnancy prevalence declined with education, from 34 percent among girls with no schooling to four percent among those with education beyond secondary school, highlighting education’s protective effect.

The report noted improvements in menstrual hygiene management, with 95 percent of adolescent girls reporting they could wash and change privately at home, while 94 percent used appropriate menstrual materials.

However, the report raised concerns about adolescent mental health and substance abuse, noting increasing alcohol and drug use, including tramadol and cannabis, particularly among secondary school students nationwide.

It stated that adolescents and young people aged 10-24 accounted for about 32 percent of Nigeria’s population and bear a high burden of mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety.

The report highlighted government’s commitment to strengthening mental health services during World Mental Health Day and International Adolescent Health Week in 2025, promoting multisectoral collaboration to address substance abuse.

These efforts involved partnerships among the Ministry of Health, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and civil society organisations.