by Women Empowering Women Initiative (WEWIN)
The conversation around abortion in Nigeria is slowly shifting. In Lagos State, the suspension of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) guideline continues to highlight just how contentious and urgent the issue of safe abortion is. Across global platforms, there is growing advocacy for decriminalising abortion to reduce unsafe procedures and maternal deaths. These policy debates and calls for reform are essential, but they are only the beginning.
Decriminalising abortion or adopting progressive guidelines can remove the threat of prosecution. They can provide frameworks for hospitals to offer care without fear of sanctions. But laws on paper do not always translate to safety in practice. Without deliberate efforts to address stigma, health system readiness, community norms, and the broader socio-economic barriers that women face, legal change alone will fall short of ensuring that abortion is truly safe, accessible, and dignified.
A legal win that doesn’t automatically save lives
Globally, we have examples of countries that liberalised abortion laws but continued to see preventable deaths due to gaps in implementation. In parts of Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, legal reforms exist alongside poorly equipped facilities, untrained providers, and communities steeped in stigma. Nigeria risks following a similar path if we assume that changing laws alone is enough.
Even within Lagos, if the STOP guideline is reinstated, though a significant step, it still depends on how well it is understood and adopted by health workers, how information is shared with communities, and whether women feel safe to seek care. Without this, policies remain documents filed in government offices, not tools that meaningfully save lives.
Health systems: The backbone that’s often missing
For abortion to be safe, it requires more than legal backing. It needs a health system that is adequately resourced and prepared to offer timely, nonjudgmental care. In many Nigerian facilities, shortages of essential equipment, drugs, or trained personnel are common. Rural areas are particularly underserved, forcing women to travel long distances, an expense many cannot afford.
Even where services exist, fear of stigma from healthcare providers persists. Stories abound of women turned away, scolded, or subjected to invasive questioning when seeking post-abortion care. Provider bias, often fuelled by personal beliefs or lack of proper training, can undermine the very essence of safe abortion access, regardless of what the law permits.
Perhaps the most insidious obstacle is not written into any law but embedded deeply in society’s mindset. Abortion stigma frames women as immoral or irresponsible, turning a personal health decision into a community spectacle. This silencing culture forces women into secrecy, driving them to unlicensed providers or self-managed attempts without reliable information.
Many women delay seeking help even when complications arise, fearing judgement from both families and health workers. By the time they arrive at clinics, they may be in critical condition, complicating care and increasing the risk of lasting harm or death. As one community health advocate bluntly put it, “People act like abortion doesn’t happen. But it happens everywhere. The difference is whether it’s safe or deadly.”
Economic and social inequalities at play
Decriminalisation also does little to resolve the underlying inequalities that shape who can access safe care. Wealthier women may afford discreet services at private clinics. Meanwhile, poorer women, young girls, sex workers, or displaced women often have no such safety net. The intersection of poverty, age, and gender means the most vulnerable continue to bear the heaviest burden.
Additionally, many women lack comprehensive, accurate information about their reproductive options. In communities where sexuality is taboo, even discussing contraception is difficult, let alone understanding safe methods of terminating a pregnancy. Without targeted efforts to spread awareness and combat misinformation, legal change remains out of reach for those who need it most.
True access requires a multi-layered approach:
-Strengthen the health system
-Combat stigma
-Prioritise information
-Support holistic laws and policies
Safe abortion is not achieved solely by changing the letter of the law. It is realised when a woman, regardless of her age, income, or marital status, can make informed decisions about her body and access compassionate care without fear.
SOURCE: Business Day Nigeria, by Women Empowering Women Initiative, 15 July 2025.