Over 129,000 Young Brides In Nasarawa Embrace Contraceptives — Society For Family Health
The Society for Family Health (SFH), a leading Non-Governmental Organisation, has revealed that at least 129,285 married adolescent girls in Nasarawa State are now using contraceptives, thanks to its Adolescents 360 (A360) Project aimed at enhancing sexual and reproductive health among young girls.
SFH also applauded the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health for its efforts in achieving a current contraceptive prevalence rate of 22.3 percent.
Kenneth Okoineme, SFH’s Health Governance and Public Policy Specialist, disclosed this during a two-day residential transition policy dialogue held in Keffi Local Government Area. The meeting was organised by the state’s Ministry of Health in collaboration with SFH under the A360 initiative, themed “The Future of Adolescent and Youths’ Sexual Reproductive Health and Development in Nasarawa.”
Okoineme explained that the A360 Project, which operates in several developing countries including Nigeria, is dedicated to increasing adolescent girls’ access to and demand for modern contraceptives. In Nasarawa, the project—branded Matasan Matan Arewa—specifically targeted married girls aged 15 to 19 over the past four years.
Highlighting the project’s achievements, he noted that over 280,000 adolescent girls in the state had been reached with responsive, youth-friendly services. In addition to the 129,285 new contraceptive users, 68,770 existing users were supported to continue usage despite previously high rates of discontinuation.
“One of our major successes is integrating the project into the state’s health system to ensure it remains functional and effective even after our direct involvement ends,” Okoineme said.
Also speaking at the event, Absalom Madawa, Director of Community and Family Health at the Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, noted that the project played a key role in raising the state's Contraceptive Prevalence Rate from 14.2 percent in 2018 to 22.3 percent.
“Unlike many other states, Nasarawa has recorded significant progress. While some states experienced setbacks, we moved forward despite challenges. This demonstrates the resilience and impact of the initiative,” Madawa said.
He further explained that while the A360 Project primarily targets married adolescent girls, its ripple effects have extended to other women of reproductive age between 15 and 49.
In a separate interview, Lanry Ven-Bawa, Chief Whip and Chairman of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Health, praised the initiative’s contribution to the state. He also pledged legislative backing to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the project beyond its initial lifespan.