- Mordecai Oweibia¹, Ebiakpor Bainkpo Agbedi²
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19791191
- GAS Journal of Clinical Medicine and Medical Research (GASJCMMR)
Background: Maternal and child health (MCH) remains one of the most fundamental
indicators of a nation’s human development and the effectiveness of its health
system. In Nigeria, maternal and child mortality rates have declined slowly
despite several national and international policy interventions. This narrative
review synthesizes evidence on recent trends, determinants, and policy
initiatives influencing MCH outcomes in Nigeria.
Methods: A structured search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted across
PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Search terms included maternal
mortality, child health, Nigeria, determinants, and policy.
Only peer-reviewed studies published between 2016 and 2025 were included.
Secondary data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS 2018 and
2023), the WHO Global Health Observatory, and UNICEF datasets were incorporated
to contextualize trends.
Results: Nigeria remains among the countries with the highest maternal mortality
ratio (MMR) globally, with estimates ranging between 512 and 1,047 deaths per
100,000 live births. Under-five mortality has declined from 132 per 1,000 live
births in 2018 to 102 in 2023, yet disparities persist across regions. Major
determinants include socioeconomic inequality, low service utilization,
malnutrition, inadequate health financing, and cultural barriers. The
implementation of the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), National Health Act, and
RMNCAH+N Strategic Plan has achieved measurable but uneven progress.
Conclusion: Nigeria’s MCH indicators remain far from Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. Strengthening primary health care, improving financial protection mechanisms, scaling up quality improvement programs, and addressing gender and geographic inequities are critical to achieving sustained improvement.
