Mirian Gom 
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has called for stronger action to transform harmful gender norms that contribute to early pregnancy, violence, discrimination and poor health outcomes among adolescents in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2026 Gender and Inclusion Summit organised by the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
The summit, themed “From Agenda to Action: Making Innovations Count for the Last Mile,” focused on translating policies and innovations into practical outcomes for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Salako said gender norms influence how adolescents behave, access healthcare and education, express themselves and participate in society.
He warned that rigid social expectations, misconceptions and discriminatory practices can limit young people’s opportunities while increasing their exposure to violence, early pregnancy, exclusion and poor health outcomes.
“Transforming gender norms, therefore, matters because we must address norms that limit access to healthcare, safety, education and the ability to earn and make decisions,” he said.
The minister said tackling these barriers requires coordinated action across health, education, social protection and economic empowerment.
Salako said the Federal Government had strengthened adolescent health programmes and expanded access to sexual and reproductive health services.
These include family planning, sexually transmitted infection and HIV prevention, counselling and other reproductive health services.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had also developed the National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy 2025–2030.
The ministry has integrated gender and adolescent health through a dedicated Gender and Adolescent Programmes and Adolescent Health Department under its Family Health Department.
According to Salako, the structure provides a platform for addressing gender-related barriers to healthcare and the different health needs of adolescents and young people.
The minister said the government had launched a national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign targeting more than 40 million adolescents across Nigeria.
Salako also disclosed that the Strengthening Access to Reproductive Health by Adolescent Health Project was being implemented in Sokoto and Adamawa states.
Lessons from the intervention, he said, would help guide possible expansion to other parts of the country.
Salako said a new study on gender norms, attitudes, health and wellbeing would provide evidence for improving government policies and programmes targeting adolescents.
The study is expected to provide nationally representative data on social and gender norms influencing adolescent behaviour and health outcomes.
It examined issues including child, early and forced marriage, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, HPV vaccination and women’s economic empowerment.
The minister said the findings could guide interventions across health, education, social protection and economic empowerment.
“Evidence produced will be instrumental in informing policy formulation, programming and financing across sectors, including health, education, social protection and economic empowerment,” he said.
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