One in Three Non-Using Women in South-West Nigeria Intends to Use Contraception

Approximately one-third of women in South-West Nigeria who are not currently using any contraceptive method say they intend to use contraception in the future, according to a new analysis of the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The study, published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, found that 32.4% of non-using women aged 15 to 49 reported an intention to use contraception, while 67.6% reported no such intention. Because contraceptive intention is considered an important precursor to future contraceptive adoption, the figure offers a snapshot of potential unmet demand for family planning services in the region.

The research team restricted its analysis to 3,307 women residing in South-West Nigeria who reported not using any contraceptive method at the time of the survey. Using weighted descriptive statistics and survey-adjusted binary logistic regression, the researchers estimated the prevalence of contraceptive intention and identified the factors associated with it. Results were reported as crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

One of the study’s central findings was the scale of variation between states. In the adjusted analysis, women in Ekiti were more than twice as likely to intend to use contraception compared with women in Oyo State (adjusted odds ratio 2.10, 95% CI 1.50–2.93), while women in Ondo had significantly lower odds of intending to use contraception (adjusted odds ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.27–0.56).

Age emerged as a strong determinant. Compared with women aged 15 to 19, women in older age groups had progressively lower odds of contraceptive intention: those aged 35 to 39 had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.60 (95% CI 0.38–0.95), those aged 40 to 44 had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.34 (95% CI 0.20–0.58), and those aged 45 to 49 had an adjusted odds ratio of just 0.06 (95% CI 0.03–0.12). This gradient suggests that among women not currently using contraception, the youngest respondents were by far the most open to future use.

Education also played a significant role. Women with secondary education had nearly twice the odds of intending to use contraception compared with the reference category (adjusted odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI 1.15–3.44), and women with higher education showed a similarly elevated association (adjusted odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI 1.09–3.64). Religion was associated with intention as well: Muslim women had lower odds of contraceptive intention than Christian women (adjusted odds ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.65–0.97).

Beyond these factors, the study found that higher parity, exposure to family planning messages, and fertility preferences were also significantly associated with contraceptive intention. Exposure to family planning messages in particular was linked to markedly higher odds of intention (adjusted odds ratio 1.86, 95% CI 1.39–2.47), pointing to the potential role of media and information campaigns in shaping demand for contraceptive services.

The authors conclude that educational attainment, religion, parity, fertility preference, media exposure, and state of residence were all significant determinants of contraceptive intention among non-using women in the region. They argue that these findings highlight the need for state-specific family planning strategies that strengthen reproductive health education, expand access to accurate family planning information, and address contextual barriers to contraceptive uptake, particularly in states with low intention such as Ondo.

As a cross-sectional analysis of a single survey round, the study captures associations at one point in time and identifies determinants of stated intention rather than subsequent contraceptive use. The authors note that although previous studies have examined determinants of contraceptive use and intention in Nigeria more broadly, limited evidence had previously existed on state-level disparities in contraceptive intention among women not currently using any method. The published version of the article is still being finalized; the version shared online is citable and carries a permanent DOI but remains subject to further edits before the final Version of Record replaces it.

For family planning programmes in South-West Nigeria, the practical implication is that demand for contraception is unevenly distributed: roughly half of non-using women in Ekiti intend to use contraception, compared with fewer than one in six in Ondo.

Subject of Research: State-level disparities and socio-demographic determinants of contraceptive intention among non-using women in South-West Nigeria

Article Title: State-level disparities and socio-demographic determinants of intention to use contraception among non-using women in South-West Nigeria

Article References: Otitoju, O., Sani, J., Awoniyi, A., Adesina, A. N., Ajibade, T. O., Boboye, I., Banjo, O. O., Ogunjuyigbe, P. O., & Bisiriyu, L. A. (2026). State-level disparities and socio-demographic determinants of intention to use contraception among non-using women in South-West Nigeria. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-026-00473-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40834-026-00473-9

Keywords: contraception, Nigeria, family planning, DHS survey, reproductive health, health disparities, contraceptive intention, South-West Nigeria, demographic survey, logistic regression, state-level analysis, women's health