- Seven in 10 Nigerians (70%) endorse the teaching of sex education in school (Figure 1). o More educated and economically better-off citizens, the elderly, and urban residents are more likely than their counterparts to support the teaching of sex education in schools.
- Only about four in 10 citizens say contraceptives should be made available for anyone who is sexually active regardless of age (40%) and marital status (37%) (Figure 2).
- One in 10 Nigerians (10%) say women and girls in their community “often” terminate their pregnancies, and another 32% say they do so “occasionally.” Fewer than half (45%) say pregnancies are “rarely” or “never” terminated in their community (Figure 3).
- More than seven in 10 citizens say abortion is “never” justified in cases where the pregnancy is unwanted (73%) or where the mother is economically unable to care for a child (71%) (Figure 4). o But majorities think abortion is “sometimes” or “always” justified if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest (51%) or if the mother’s health or life is as risk (59%).
A large majority of Nigerians support the inclusion of sex education in school curricula, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey.
However, there is significantly less support for making contraceptives widely accessible to all sexually active individuals regardless of their age or marital status.
Public opinion on abortion remains divided. While a large plurality of Nigerians report that pregnancies are frequently terminated in their communities, a similar proportion say such cases are rare or non-existent.
Large majorities believe abortion is never justified in cases of unwanted pregnancies or economic hardship, although more than half believe it can be acceptable when the mother’s life or health is at risk or when the pregnancy is the product of rape or incest.