The Federal Government has inaugurated a High-Level Inter-Ministerial Platform on Family Planning, Health, Human Capital and National Development to strengthen coordination across government and harness Nigeria’s youthful population for sustainable development.
Inaugurating the platform in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described Nigeria’s population as one of the country’s greatest assets, which must be deliberately transformed into a productive resource capable of driving economic growth and national prosperity.
Professor Pate said Nigeria’s rapidly growing population could become either an asset or a liability, depending on investments in health, education, empowerment and productivity.
He noted that with an estimated population of about 230 million people and a predominantly youthful demographic, Nigeria adds millions of people to its population annually and is projected to reach between 450 and 500 million by 2050.
The Minister therefore stressed the need for deliberate investment in human capital to ensure that the growing population is healthy, educated, skilled and economically productive.
He explained that the platform would adopt a life-course approach, bringing together relevant government institutions to address the needs of Nigerians from adolescence through adulthood, parenthood and old age.
Professor Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would focus on strengthening health systems, improving access to essential services and advancing health and social welfare outcomes, while the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would drive national development planning, human capital investment and efficient resource allocation.
He said the Ministries of Finance, Women Affairs, Education and Youth Development also have critical roles to play, particularly in creating a supportive fiscal environment, promoting reproductive health, girls’ education, youth empowerment and access to health information.
The Minister identified the National Population Commission as a key partner in population planning, fertility trends and demographic projections, stressing the importance of harnessing Nigeria’s demographic dividend.
On primary healthcare, Professor Pate emphasised the need to ensure the availability of essential maternal, newborn and child health services, noting that reducing child mortality is closely linked to fertility decisions and families’ ability to plan their desired family size.
He also called for a stronger role for the National Orientation Agency in promoting public awareness, community trust and citizen engagement, while tackling misinformation that could undermine health and development interventions.
Professor Pate announced progress towards domestic production of family planning commodities, describing it as an important milestone that would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, create employment opportunities for young people and retain economic value within the country.
He stressed that achieving the objectives of the platform would require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving federal, state and local governments, civil society organisations, the private sector and development partners.
The Coordinating Minister said the platform must move beyond meetings and discussions to concrete and measurable actions, including improved financing and implementation at the subnational level.
He welcomed recent improvements reflected in Nigeria’s Mini-Demographic and Health Survey, but cautioned that the progress was only the beginning of the work required.
Professor Pate urged states to complement federal efforts with increased investment in health, family planning and human capital development.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, FP2030 West and Central Africa Office, Dr Alain Damiba, commended the Federal Government for establishing the platform, describing it as a significant step towards placing collaboration, accountability and evidence-based decision-making at the centre of Nigeria’s human capital agenda.
Dr Damiba stressed that family planning and health are not solely the responsibility of the health sector, but critical components of national development requiring coordinated action across government.
He said empowering women and young people to make informed and voluntary decisions about their reproductive health would improve health outcomes while also contributing to education, economic productivity and the wellbeing of families and communities.
“Health, including family planning, is a smart investment in human capital and Nigeria’s future,” he said.
Dr Damiba said FP2030 views the platform as more than a coordination mechanism, but an opportunity for Ministries to establish shared outcomes, strengthen accountability, track progress and collectively address challenges affecting human capital development.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. mni, said improving the health and wellbeing of Nigerians requires coordinated action across sectors, including population, education, finance, women affairs, economic planning and social protection.
Represented by the Director of Family Health in the Ministry, Dr Ahmad Muhammad Ozi, the Permanent Secretary said better health outcomes require coordinated policies, aligned investments, effective partnerships and shared accountability among Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
She urged members of the platform to focus on practical and measurable actions that would strengthen collaboration among relevant government institutions.
Stakeholders from the Ministries of Youth Development, Women Affairs and Social Development, Finance, and Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the National Population Commission, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and civil society organisations, pledged their support for the platform.
They stressed that family planning is central to improving maternal and child health, empowering women and young people, strengthening household resilience, developing human capital and accelerating Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
The stakeholders also pledged continued collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and FP2030 to ensure that the platform translates its commitments into measurable results for Nigerians.