Mission to Nigeria, Africa's Largest Country

Executive Director meets with civil society leaders and government officials

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin began his first mission to developing countries as the Executive Director of UNFPA with a visit to Nigeria. Ethiopia and Kenya are the next stops before he returns to the Fund's New York headquarters.

In meetings with high-level government officials, key UNFPA partners and civil society leaders, Dr. Osotemehin commended Nigeria’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, drew attention to the need to increase access to reproductive health and related supplies, emphasized the importance of engaging youth and empowering women, and called attention to the relationship between population and all other development challenges.

The Executive Director also met privately with Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Millennium Development Goals

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Special Adviser to the President on the MDGs, Amina Az Zubair, Dr. Osotimehin promised continued cooperation between UNFPA and the Nigerian Government, and described the visit as an “opportunity to do a lot of things together.”

Dr. Osotimehin drew attention to the maternal health component of the MDGs, emphasizing the need to make family planning services available  to those who need them. The availability of contraceptives, he said, would enable people to make informed reproductive choices and help reduce abortion rates. He also underscored the importance of maternal health, and the need to engage youth in development efforts.

 

UNFPA will provide more support for women’s rights and health in Nigeria because gender equality is one of the key pillars of its work, said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin on a visit to the nation’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Josephine Anenih. With women accounting for half of Nigeria’s population, investing in their potential would help their country make great strides in social and economic development, the Executive Director said. He urged Nigeria’s women to aspire to leadership roles as a way of spurring the country’s progress.

Promoting gender equality and girl’s education will encourage women to exercise one of their basic human rights: the right -- and the means -- to determine the number of their children, he added.

Homecoming at the Ministry of Health

Until about a year ago, Dr. Babatunde Osotemehin served as Nigeria’s Health Minister, and he has noted that the experience of running a key ministry in such a large, diverse and complex country was excellent training for his current position. He was warmly welcomed when he returned to the Ministry this week.

Dr. Osotemehin congratulated the current Minister of Health, C.O. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on the launch of the National Strategic Health Development Plan and pledged his support for its implementation. He encouraged continued work to improve maternal and newborn health, widen access to contraceptives, sustain progress on the Millennium Development Goals and to engage Nigeria’s large youth population.