The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal mortality by tackling unsafe abortion and strengthening reproductive health systems nationwide.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Director of Family Health, Robert M. Daniel, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday at the International Safe Abortion Conference organised by Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation to mark International Safe Abortion Day.

The conference was themed “Reproductive Justice: Crashing Maternal Mortality through Reduced Unsafe Abortions.”

Pate noted that unsafe abortion remains one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria, citing World Health Organisation (WHO) figures that estimate about 456,000 unsafe abortions occur annually in the country.

“Almost every death and injury that results from unsafe abortion could be prevented by effective contraception, the provision of safe abortion, and timely post-abortion care,” he said.

The Minister highlighted the Ministry’s partnership with Ipas Nigeria in training health workers and building capacity to deliver quality post-abortion care. He added that government would continue to deepen collaboration with NGOs, states, and international organisations to strengthen reproductive health and rights.

Delivering the keynote, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Talemoh Wickliffe-Da described unsafe abortion as a preventable tragedy requiring urgent attention. He warned that reducing maternal mortality demands sustained effort.

“If you solve the problem of ignorance for young people this year, in two years another group will come up again. Education, contraception, and health services must be continuous. We cannot afford complacency,” he said.

Wickliffe-Da urged collaboration between pro-life and pro-choice advocates, noting common ground in preventing unwanted pregnancies, protecting girls from sexual violence, and strengthening health systems. He also pointed to innovations such as self-care and digital access to contraceptives as ways to empower women.

Chairperson of the Ipas Nigeria Board, Dr. Moriam Olaide Jagu, stressed the importance of sustained training, mentorship, and legal clarity for health workers.

“Health workers must not only be skilled but also confident and legally protected to provide post-abortion care and safe termination services within the law. Without commodities, equipment, and legal safeguards, even skilled providers cannot deliver quality services,” she said.

She further called for data-driven advocacy and standardized quality of care that centers on women and marginalized groups.

In his remarks, Ipas Nigeria Country Director, Lucky Palmer, urged lawmakers to reform Nigeria’s restrictive abortion laws, which he said endanger women and girls.

He cited the case of a 14-year-old rape survivor forced to deliver her father’s child due to legal barriers, describing it as “a tragedy that could have been prevented if safe abortion services were accessible.”

“How can we, in 2025, still be obeying a law from 1951?” he asked. “Every other law has evolved, but this one continues to discriminate against women and criminalize their health needs. We need bold action from lawmakers to save lives.”

Palmer stressed that unsafe abortion is not merely a moral issue but a public health crisis, urging evidence-based policymaking over silence and stigma.

At the close of the conference, stakeholders issued a unified call for stronger collaboration, legal reform, and greater investment in reproductive health services. With unsafe abortion disproportionately affecting poor, uneducated, and rural women, they emphasized that reducing maternal mortality requires comprehensive approaches that place women’s health and rights at the centre.

They concluded that the commemoration of International Safe Abortion Day must serve not just as symbolism but as a renewed call to confront one of Nigeria’s most pressing preventable causes of maternal death.