Nigeria

FGM Prevalence Among Girls and Women Aged 15 to 49 by Year

FGM: Drivers, Prevalence, Attitudes and Progress Towards Elimination

FGM Drivers and Practitioners

The practice of FGM is enshrined in cultural and traditional beliefs within a frame of sexual, moral and religious factors that are preserved, perpetrated and sustained through community, cultural and traditional beliefs.¹
An estimated 86% of women who have undergone FGM went through the procedure before age 5.²

FGM Prevalence and Attitudes

Nigerian girls and women affected by FGM (19.9 million) make up close to 10% of the global estimates of estimated global FGM survivors (230 million).
The zones with the highest FGM prevalence are SouthEast (32% of women aged 15 to 49) and South-West (30%). The highest state prevalence is in Imo State at 61.7%.²
In 2018, the prevalence of FGM medicalization was 7.1% for girls aged 0 to 14 and 8.6% for women aged 15 to 49.²

Progress Towards the Elimination of FGM

The prevalence of FGM has declined from 19.5% among women aged 15 to 49 and 19.2% among girls aged 0 to 14 in 20182 to 15.1% among the former and 8.2% among the latter in 2021.³
Need to accelerate efforts at least two times to eliminate FGM by 2030.

UNFPA, 2021. Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria. Situation analysis.
Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018.
Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021.

Key Partners

Government: State Primary Health Care Board, Oyo State, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Ministry of Health of Imo State, Ministry of Health of Ebonyi State, Ministry of Health of Ekiti State, Ministry of Health of Osun State, Ministry of Education.

Non-Government organizations: The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative, Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre, YouthHubAfrica (youth-led), Development Initiative of West Africa, Onelife Initiative for Human Development, Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria (for sustainable development, health and empowerment), Action Health Incorporated, Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria, Rural People Development Initiative, Christiana Olawunmi Foundation, Matan Arewa for Sustainable Development Initiative, Value Female Network, National Council for Women’s Societies Nigeria, Ebonyi Ohaozara local government area – 34 communities in Imo State Mbaitoli local government area, Center for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health.

Key Programme Results in 2023

Number of women and girls who have initiated conversations on FGM elimination and/or advocated for abandonment of the practice:

Number of girls aged 0 to 14 years saved from FGM through the community-level surveillance system to monitor compliance supported by the Joint Programme:

Number of individuals (boys, girls, women and men) reached by mass media messaging on FGM, women’s and girls’ rights, and gender equality:

Number of people engaged in a public declaration that they will abandon the practice of FGM:

Number of girls and women who receive prevention and protection services on FGM:

Spotlighted Intervention

To equip boys and men with skills and tools to effectively promote positive masculinity and equitable gender norms, the Joint Programme helped to establish gender equality and social inclusion clubs in schools. As a result, some boys and men started providing support to girls by performing unpaid care chores normally assigned to girls and women alone. Male students spread messages about FGM consequences to peers at other schools and members of their families. Community leaders (men) who publicly denounce FGM receive an FGM Elimination Pledge Certificate as a morale booster and mark of honour.