A storm is brewing in global health, and it will not spare Nigeria. The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, has begun the process of destroying nearly $9.7 million worth of contraceptives that were meant for women and girls across Africa. These supplies, long-acting contraceptives like implants and IUDs, are currently sitting in a warehouse in Belgium, awaiting incineration. Offers from international NGOs to redistribute them for free have been rejected.
For Nigeria, where unsafe abortion and limited contraceptive access already drive some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, this decision is not just political, it’s deadly.
Nigeria’s Reality: High Need, Limited Access
In Nigeria, 1 in 4 women of reproductive age has an unmet need for contraception. Every year, more than 2 million unintended pregnancies occur, many of which lead to unsafe abortions. Unsafe abortion alone accounts for 10–15% of maternal deaths in the country.
Contraceptives are not luxuries; they are lifesaving. They mean that a young girl can stay in school. They mean a woman can space her pregnancies safely. They mean families can plan their futures. Without them, Nigerian women and girls are forced to choose between unsafe options or futures they did not plan.
Now, with the U.S. decision to burn these supplies, the gap is about to widen.
The Global Politics, Local Impact
The destruction of contraceptives is part of the Mexico City Policy (Global Gag Rule), reinstated under Trump. This policy restricts U.S. funding to organisations involved in abortion-related services or advocacy. However, the fallout goes far beyond abortion; it cuts into contraceptive access, HIV prevention, and broader reproductive health care.
For Nigeria, this could mean Stock-outs in health facilities that already struggle with supply chain gaps, Fewer options for young people, especially adolescents and unmarried women, who already face stigma accessing contraception, and rising rates of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and preventable maternal deaths.
The most vulnerable, poor women, rural communities, and displaced populations will be the hardest hit.
Why Nigerians Should Care
This is not “America’s problem.” This is Nigeria’s problem too. When donor politics dictate whether or not a girl in Katsina gets an implant, or whether a young woman in Port Harcourt can prevent an unplanned pregnancy, we are reminded how fragile our health systems are.
If $9.7 million worth of contraceptives are destroyed, the ripple effects will hit Nigerian communities already struggling to meet SRHR needs.
According to estimates from the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the loss could translate into thousands of unintended pregnancies in Nigeria, a surge in unsafe abortions, and even more preventable maternal deaths.
Contraception is not a privilege. It is a right, a lifeline, and a cornerstone of gender equality and development.
The destruction of contraceptives abroad may feel distant, but the consequences are close to home. Nigeria cannot afford more barriers to reproductive health. We must resist policies that endanger lives and demand that our leaders invest in solutions that prioritise the health and futures of young people.
Because when politics burn contraceptives, it is Nigerian women and girls who are left to pick up the ashes.