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The Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has warned that unsafe abortion continues to drive high rates of maternal mortality in Nigeria, calling for an urgent overhaul of the country’s restrictive legal framework governing reproductive healthcare.
The organisation made the demand in a statement released by its Executive Chairperson, Prof. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, to commemorate the 2026 International Safe Abortion Day, themed “Solidarity in Action: Advance Reproductive Justice and Urgently Strengthen Health Systems for Comprehensive Abortion Care.”
WARDC emphasised that Nigeria cannot meaningfully lower its maternal death toll while ignoring preventable injuries and fatalities caused by clandestine, unsafe procedures.
Citing health data, the group highlighted the severe scale of maternal mortality in the country.
An estimated 1,000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in 2023, with unsafe abortion recognized as a primary direct contributor.
A national study estimated that 1.25 million abortions occurred in Nigeria in 2012 alone.
Approximately 212,000 women were treated for severe post-abortion complications that year, while another 285,000 suffered serious complications without receiving necessary medical treatment.
National estimates indicate that around 6,000 Nigerian women die annually from unsafe abortions, though experts note the figure is likely underreported or misclassified due to social stigma and legal restrictions.
The organisation also expressed deep concern over the impact on adolescents and survivors of sexual violence.
Referring to UNICEF data, WARDC pointed to Nigeria’s adolescent birth rate of 75 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19, with figures spiking higher in rural areas.
“Denying timely, appropriate, and lawful reproductive healthcare to girls who become pregnant as a result of rape or incest compounds their trauma,” WARDC stated.
“A child who has survived sexual violence should receive protection, healthcare, and dignity—not additional trauma, stigma, and the risk of an unsafe abortion.”
WARDC urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, state governments, and relevant stakeholders to shift away from strict criminalization toward a rights-based, medically regulated framework. The proposed legal and policy reforms include:
Clear Legal Parameters
Explicitly define statutory conditions under which abortion services are legally permitted to ensure clarity for healthcare workers and patients.
Medical Regulation and Facility Accreditation
Establish strict regulatory guidelines for licensed healthcare providers and accredited facilities to eliminate unsafe, unregulated practices.
Patient Rights and Confidentiality Protection
Enforce strict standards for informed consent, patient privacy, and protection against discrimination or coercion within healthcare settings.
Comprehensive Post-Abortion Care and Referral Systems
Strengthen health system referral networks and guarantee universal access to life-saving emergency post-abortion medical treatment across all states.
“Behind these numbers are women and girls whose lives, health, and futures can be permanently affected,” the statement concluded. “It is time to move from criminalisation to safe, regulated, and rights-based abortion care.”
