By Gloria Abutu
As donor-funded support for family planning interventions winds down, stakeholders in Adamawa State have raised concerns over the sustainability of the programme, stressing the need to consolidate and build on the remarkable progress already achieved.
The Challenge Initiative (TCI), in collaboration with Development Communications Network, DevComs has supported Adamawa as one of 22 states in Nigeria to scale up family planning services.
Through the programme, more than 69,000 new users have been reached, with the state government also committing funds to drive implementation.
However, experts and partners warn that stronger domestic investment is needed to secure these gains.
At a stakeholders’ meeting on Transitioning Adamawa State to Self-Reliance in Family Planning, held in Yola, Chief of Party, TCI Nigeria, Dr. Taiwo Johnson, commended the state’s exceptional performance but cautioned that more funding and political will are critical to sustaining momentum.
Represented by TCI senior executive, Dorcas Akila, she applauded the contributions of government, service providers, the media, and other partners, while urging increased domestic financing to keep services accessible and impactful.
Echoing this, call, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Pharmacist Mathias Bubanani Zira, emphasized that family planning and child spacing are vital to the health and wellbeing of the population.
He called on stakeholders to remain committed for the benefit of families and the state.
Executive Secretary of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Suleiman Saidu Bashir, pledged that the agency would sustain the gains by strengthening collaboration with the Ministry of Health and partners to expand access and service delivery.
Giving a breakdown of achievements, Family Planning Focal Person in the state, Aisha Abubakar, revealed that TCI supported 30 health facilities across nine LGAs, held 10,980 events, and reached 69,094 new acceptors between January 2023 and June 2025.
She emphasized the need for stronger commitment and improved funding to achieve the Family Planning 2030 goals.
Religious and traditional leaders also underscored the importance of continuity. Representatives of the Muslim Council and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) noted that their communities have increasingly embraced family planning and appealed for an extension of the programme to consolidate successes.
Development partners, including MSI Nigeria and the Society for Family Health, commended TCI for the successes recorded but stressed that government must take full ownership of the initiative to prevent reversal of gains.
The event also featured the recognition of family planning “champions,” including the Commissioner for Health, Felix Tangwami, the Executive Secretary of the state PHCDA, and other community leaders, for their contributions to advancing family planning in Adamawa state.
Stakeholders agreed that the future of family planning in Adamawa depends on stronger government commitment, better funding, and active community involvement to sustain the progress already made and extend its benefits to more families.
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