Health
North accounts for most of Nigeria’s recorded maternal deaths – Report
Women in northern Nigeria continue to bear a disproportionate burden of maternal deaths, with the Northwest and Northeast geopolitical zones accounting for about three-quarters of reported fatalities in health facilities, according to the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) Statistical Book.
The report also highlights significant disparities in maternal health outcomes between rural and urban areas, with rural women recording a maternal mortality ratio of 656 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 444 deaths per 100,000 live births in urban areas.
Produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the report reviews the third year of implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint. It was presented at the third Nigeria Health Sector Joint Annual Review in Abuja on 10 November.
The findings highlight persistent inequalities in maternal healthcare access and outcomes, despite a reported decline in maternal deaths across health facilities nationally.
According to the report, Nigeria recorded thousands of maternal deaths in health facilities between January and September 2026, although the figures represent only deaths captured by the facility reporting system.
The ministry acknowledged that the figures could be underreported or overreported but described the data as reliable for monitoring trends in the health sector.
Maternal mortality remains high
Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of the termination of pregnancy from causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.
Most maternal deaths are preventable through timely access to quality antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services and appropriate postnatal care.
Despite the reported improvements, Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio remains a major public health concern.
The JAR Statistical Book puts the country’s maternal mortality ratio at 572 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
The burden is particularly concerning given Nigeria’s contribution to global maternal deaths.
In its 2023 report, titled “Improving Maternal and Newborn Health and Survival and Reducing Stillbirths: Progress Report 2023”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that Nigeria recorded 82,000 maternal deaths, 181,000 stillbirths and 277,000 neonatal deaths in 2020.
The combined 540,000 deaths accounted for 12 per cent of global maternal, stillbirth and neonatal deaths, despite Nigeria contributing only six per cent of global live births.
The report ranked Nigeria second after India among countries with the highest combined burden of maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
Reported maternal deaths decline
The JAR data indicate a downward trend in facility-reported maternal deaths over the review period.
The country recorded 5,391 maternal deaths in health facilities in 2024, compared with 4,455 in 2025.
The figure declined further in 2026, although the exact total requires confirmation against the final statistical table. The quarterly data also indicate improvements.
Following a peak in the second quarter of 2024, maternal deaths and the maternal mortality ratio generally declined. By the third quarter of 2026, the maternal mortality ratio had fallen to 128 deaths per 100,000 live births, representing a reduction of about 46 per cent from the earlier peak.
Maternal deaths during the same period also declined by approximately 40 per cent to 947.
However, these improvements have not been evenly distributed across the country.
Northern states bear the burden
According to the report, maternal deaths over the past three years were heavily concentrated in the Northwest and Northeast geopolitical zones.
By 2026, the two zones together accounted for approximately three-quarters of all documented maternal deaths in health facilities.
The five northern states with the highest maternal mortality burden were Kano, Borno, Jigawa, Yobe and Katsina.
While the national figures showed a downward trend, maternal deaths reportedly increased across the two northern zones, contrasting with reductions recorded in southern parts of the country.
ALSO READ: Faith leaders urged to confront beliefs, family decisions driving maternal deaths in Kano
In most southern states, fewer than 50 maternal deaths were reported. The states with the lowest recorded numbers included Osun (four deaths), Abia (five), Enugu (eight), Ekiti (nine), and Bayelsa (nine).
Maternal morbidity
Beyond deaths, the report also highlights the burden of maternal morbidity, including complications that can have lasting effects on women’s health, wellbeing and livelihoods. In 2026, approximately 3,060 women were diagnosed with vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), compared with 4,350 in 2025.
VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and vagina that can result in continuous, involuntary leakage of urine, often following prolonged or obstructed labour.
Of the women diagnosed in 2026, 1,737 underwent surgical repair, representing 56.8 per cent of those diagnosed. This was lower than in 2025, when 2,564 women (59 per cent) underwent repairs.
The Northwest and Northeast again recorded the highest burden, with 1,420 and 982 cases, respectively, in 2026. The figures underscore the need to strengthen access to emergency obstetric care, timely referrals and surgical treatment, particularly in underserved communities.
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The woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria and was evacuated to Switzerland for treatment has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery.
She was discharged from Geneva University Hospitals on Wednesday, after medical personnel confirmed her recovery, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting a statement from the hospital.
“After the medical team confirmed her full recovery, the cantonal physician authorised the patient being treated for Ebola virus disease to leave the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) on 11 November 2026,” the hospital said.
The Uganda-born woman and her husband, a Swiss diplomat, were evacuated from Nigeria to Switzerland on 26 October. Her evacuation was confirmed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.
The patient had returned to Abuja from Uganda on 3 October. She developed symptoms days later and was admitted to a private health facility before the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was notified. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on 20 October.
Nigeria continues Ebola surveillance
The NCDC’s latest Ebola situation dashboard, updated on 12 November with data as of 11 November, lists one confirmed case, no deaths and seven negative cases.
It also shows that 62 contacts linked to the confirmed case have been identified. Of these, 52 have completed their mandatory 21-day follow-up, while 10 remain under monitoring.
The NCDC said its response includes contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and surveillance at the country’s points of entry.
On 11 November, NCDC disclosed that Nigeria recorded no additional confirmed Ebola cases since the imported infection was confirmed.
The agency has urged healthcare workers to remain vigilant, ask patients about their travel and exposure histories, and promptly report suspected cases to public health authorities.
READ ALSO: Ebola: Nigeria records no new cases 21 days after imported infection – NCDC
Regional outbreak continues
The situation in Nigeria is part of a wider outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease affecting parts of Africa.
In its latest situation update published on 6 November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the DRC had recorded 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of 3 November, across 67 health zones in eight provinces.
Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths, while Nigeria had reported one imported case. WHO said there had been no new confirmed cases in Kenya or Nigeria since its previous update.
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PREMIUM TIMES journalist Mariam Ileyemi has emerged as the third-prize winner in the Nigeria AMR Media Awards (NAMA), recognising her reporting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The NAMA is a national category of the 2026 Global AMR Media Awards (GAMA), which recognises journalists and other media professionals whose work raises awareness of drug-resistant infections and promotes action against the growing public health threat.
The 2026 awards received 382 entries from four global regions, with Africa accounting for 193 submissions. Asia-Pacific followed with 134 entries, while Europe and the Americas recorded 28 and 27 entries, respectively. Nigeria submitted 96 entries for the global and national competitions, representing about a quarter of the total submissions.
Ms Ileyemi was recognised for her report examining the gender dimensions of AMR, including how gender-based violence, social inequalities and barriers to healthcare affect women’s exposure to drug-resistant infections and access to treatment.
In the report, published in March 2026, she highlighted calls by health experts for gender-responsive policies to address antimicrobial resistance.
The recognition adds to her reporting on AMR. In November 2024, she collaborated with Nike Adebowale-Tambe, the PREMIUM TIMES Head of Health and Development Desk, on a special investigation examining the experiences of Nigerians affected by drug-resistant infections and the challenges they face when medicines fail.
In the NAMA category, Kazeem Biriowo of Nigerian Tribune won first prize, while Julian Adetinuyo of News Scope Africa came second.
Seven other journalists received special mentions: Folashade Akpan of the News Agency of Nigeria, Chioma Obinna of Vanguard, Helen Oji Emmanuel of Blueprint, Fatima Saka of DistinctNews, Chinyere Okorafor of Nigeria Health Times, Laide Akinboade of Daily Asset and Odimmegwa John Peter of New Africa Horizon.
The winners in the Nigerian category will receive certificates and cash prizes supported by the Art for Health Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
The awards were announced on 11 November during the Sixth Global Media Forum on AMR, ahead of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, observed annually from 18 to 24 November.
Nigeria is scheduled to host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026. The conference, the first of its kind to be held on African soil, is expected to bring together government representatives and other stakeholders to strengthen global action against antimicrobial resistance.
Other Nigerian winners
Other Nigerian journalists also received recognition in the global award categories.
In the category for reporting on the Fifth High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, Annabel Nwachukwu of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria won first prize, followed by Edward Samuel Ikpete of Voice of Nigeria in second place and Doris Obinna of The Sun in third. Alice Etuka of The Fact Daily received a special mention.
In the People’s Reporting category, Isioma Appiah-Yeboah of Clean Beat Radio won first prize, Racheal Abujah of NAN won second, and Helen Shikanda, a Kenyan, came third. Princess Ekwi-Ajide of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Smith Nwokocha of Port Harcourt Wakawaka Blog and Chioma Vivian James of True Verdict received special mentions.
Patience Ihejirika of Leadership Newspaper and Benedict Ifeanyi Chukwu of Kaftan TV also received special mentions in the Africa category.
The Global AMR Media Awards are organised by the Global AMR Media Alliance, a network of media professionals working to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote its visibility within global health security and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Media coverage of AMR
Speaking after the announcement, Shobha Shukla, chairperson of the Global AMR Media Alliance, congratulated Nigerian journalists and commended Ojoma Akor, founding chairperson of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance, for highlighting the effects of AMR and strengthening media efforts to address the problem.
Ms Shukla said AMR was not merely a medical or scientific issue but also a societal and development challenge that required action beyond laboratories and hospitals.
“We need an informed public, accountable governments, and responsible practices across human, animal, and environmental health,” she said.
She said the media has the power to connect these issues, amplify the experiences of affected communities and turn public awareness into action.
Ms Shukla urged journalists to move beyond reporting AMR solely as a health news issue and help build public support for responsible antimicrobial use and stronger health systems.
Ms Akor, in her comments, described the inaugural NAMA awards as an important milestone for health and science journalism in Nigeria, noting that AMR had received insufficient attention in newsrooms despite its implications for public health, healthcare delivery, food security and national development.
She said the awards recognised journalism’s role in making an often-unseen public health threat visible, translating complex scientific evidence into accessible information, amplifying the experiences of affected communities and holding institutions accountable.
“As an alliance, we remain committed to building the capacity of journalists, encouraging investigative and solutions-oriented reporting, and ensuring that AMR receives the sustained attention it deserves,” she said.
Chidera Rosecamille Aneke, founder of the Art for Health Initiative, said AMR is one of the organisation’s focal areas and explained that its support for the NAMA awards was intended to encourage innovative storytelling.
“AMR is one of our organisation’s focal areas, and we are glad to support the NAMA awards to push innovative storytelling to communicate AMR in ways the audience can understand,” she said.
She said the initiative works at the intersection of storytelling, media and the arts to promote public understanding and action on critical health issues.
Understanding antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond effectively to medicines used to treat infections. This makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of severe illness and death.
The problem affects human and animal health, food production and the environment, making it a One Health concern.
Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2024–2028 cites estimates that 64,500 deaths in the country were directly attributable to AMR in 2019, while 263,400 deaths were associated with it. The country has also acknowledged surveillance gaps that make it difficult to establish the full scale of drug-resistant infections.
About Mariam Ileyemi
Mariam Ileyemi is a Nigerian journalist on the Health and Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES. Her reporting covers antimicrobial resistance, disease prevention, and primary healthcare.
She was named PREMIUM TIMES Reporter of the Year 2025 and is a fellow of the Africa Health Communications Fellowship and Media-EIS Fellowship, among others.
She was recently nominated for the Outstanding Health Investigation Award at the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) Annual Awards. She is also a recipient of the Mamman Marshall Scholarship for Women in Journalism.
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