Family Planning: Experts Seeks More Local Funding as Donor Support Declines
Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Organisers of the 9th Nigeria Family Planning Conference have called for stronger domestic investment and strategic partnerships to sustain reproductive health programmes amid declining international donor funding.
Chairman of the conference’s Local Organising Committee, Dr. Ejike Oji, disclosed this on Saturday ahead of the conference scheduled for November 30 to December 4, 2026, in Abuja.
Oji said the gathering would focus on strengthening collaboration among governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society to address Nigeria’s persistent family planning challenges.
He noted that dwindling donor support, driven by global economic pressures and geopolitical developments, makes domestic resource mobilisation increasingly important.
“We now want to look inwards. We are making sure this conference becomes a strong turning point for domestic resource mobilisation,” he said.
According to him, the conference will feature participants from across Africa, including officials from the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), health ministers, development agencies and international partners.
Discussions are also ongoing with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to secure the participation of its regional leadership.
Oji revealed that 13 technical committees had been established to coordinate various aspects of the conference, while organisers are developing a framework to monitor implementation of recommendations after the event.
He encouraged researchers and stakeholders to submit abstracts before September 30 and urged participants to take advantage of early registration.
Also speaking, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), Dr Okai Haruna-Aku, said Nigeria continues to face significant unmet family planning needs, contributing to high maternal and child mortality.
He described family planning as one of the most cost-effective health interventions for improving maternal and child health and supporting national development.
Haruna-Aku called for stronger implementation of conference recommendations, improved adolescent reproductive health education and sustained efforts to address shortages of family planning commodities.
He stressed that stronger collaboration among governments, donors, civil society and development partners remains critical to achieving better reproductive health outcomes and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Korede Abdullah 
