The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with development partners, has called for increased investment in adolescent health, improved access to youth-friendly healthcare services and the inclusion of young people in decisions affecting their health and well-being.
The call was made during a press briefing to commemorate the 2026 International Adolescent Health Week, with the theme, “Nothing About Us Without Us: Power, Voice and Health Equity for All Adolescents.”
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Kachollom Shangti Daju, the Director of Health Promotion in the ministry, John Urakpa, said adolescents must be recognised as active stakeholders in the design and implementation of health programmes rather than passive beneficiaries.
Urakpa said Nigeria’s youthful population made investment in adolescent health essential to reducing maternal mortality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
He noted that adolescents and young people play a critical role in achieving the country’s demographic dividend, stressing the need to address their health challenges through policies and programmes that reflect their needs and experiences.
According to him, the ministry, working with partners, has invested in strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers to deliver adolescent-friendly services.
He added that the establishment of adolescent-friendly corners in healthcare facilities had helped promote a rights-based approach to service delivery.
“These efforts are designed to ensure that adolescents receive care that is respectful, confidential and responsive to their unique needs,” he said.
Urakpa called on stakeholders to translate the theme of the 2026 celebration into concrete action by expanding adolescent-friendly services nationwide, improving access to reliable health information, promoting mental and physical well-being, confronting harmful practices and removing barriers to healthcare.
He further urged stakeholders to ensure that no adolescent was excluded from essential health services and support systems.
Adolescents Seek Understanding, Support
Speaking at the event, an adolescent, Adejo Emmanuella, a student of Government Day Secondary School, Wuse II, Abuja, called on parents to be more understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges young people experience as they grow.
She explained that adolescence is a period marked by hormonal changes, emotional pressures, depression and the desire to fit into social groups, which could expose young people to unhealthy influences.
Emmanuella urged parents to listen to their children and create an environment where they could freely discuss their feelings without fear of judgment or punishment.
“I expect parents to listen to adolescents and try to understand them. Even though most times adolescents do not speak up, parents should take it easy with them so they can know how to talk to them about what they are feeling,” she said.
She also encouraged her peers to speak out whenever they faced difficulties, noting that silence could prevent them from receiving the support they needed.
“My advice to my peers is that, even though it may be hard, they should speak up so that they can get help. If there is silence, we will not be able to get the help we need,” she added.
UNFPA Highlights Menstrual Poverty, Early Marriage
The Head of the Gender and Adolescent Unit at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria, Dr. Zubaida Abubakar, said adolescents and young people remained central to the organisation’s interventions, particularly in promoting the rights and well-being of women, girls and young people with disabilities.
She explained that UNFPA worked with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Women Affairs and other partners to strengthen policies, support their implementation and empower young people to participate in decisions affecting them.
Abubakar said the organisation also supported non-governmental organisations to provide youth-friendly services, noting that adolescents required approaches that recognised their unique needs and encouraged them to seek help without fear or embarrassment.
She listed child marriage, female genital mutilation, menstrual health challenges and HIV-related concerns among the issues requiring sustained attention.
According to her, menstrual poverty remains a significant challenge, with some girls missing school during their menstrual periods because they lack access to essential menstrual hygiene products.
She also expressed concern over early marriage, saying about 33 per cent of girls in Nigeria were married before the age of 18.
Abubakar warned that early marriage could deprive girls of educational opportunities and limit their prospects for economic empowerment and meaningful contributions to national development.
She added that female genital mutilation could cause psychological and mental health challenges, stressing the need for stronger efforts to eliminate harmful practices and improve access to appropriate healthcare.
The UNFPA official identified the limited involvement of adolescents in decisions concerning their welfare as another major challenge.
She said health interventions would be more effective when young people were allowed to explain their needs and participate in determining how services should be delivered.
SWAG Advocates Adolescent Participation in Policy Development
Similarly, the Communications Manager of Stand With A Girl (SWAG) Initiative, Sheyi Bolaji, called on government authorities and parents to create supportive environments where adolescents could express themselves freely and receive appropriate guidance.
Bolaji said SWAG placed adolescents and young people at the centre of its programmes, emphasising that their participation must extend beyond attending events to include planning, content development and policy discussions.
She disclosed that adolescents had participated in planning activities for the 2026 International Adolescent Health Week, including consultations on media and communication content.
According to her, the initiative worked directly with young people to develop messages and identify health concerns that reflected their experiences.
She expressed hope that the discussions and recommendations from the commemoration would translate into policies that improve adolescent health in Nigeria.
Bolaji also urged parents and government institutions to avoid judging young people and instead listen to their concerns.
She said creating safe spaces for adolescents to discuss their challenges could help them obtain timely guidance and support while reducing their vulnerability to harmful influences and criminal activities.
The SWAG official stressed that the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us” must be reflected in practical decision-making, with adolescents actively involved in designing and implementing programmes intended for their benefit.
The 2026 International Adolescent Health Week provides an opportunity for government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, parents and young people to strengthen collaboration towards improving adolescent health, promoting equity and ensuring that young people’s voices influence policies and services that affect their lives.
